


Not Gryffindor

by Chelonie



Series: Not Gryffindor [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Don’t copy to another site, Gen, Hogwarts Inter-House Friendships, Hufflepuff Neville Longbottom, Magical Portraits, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Protective Severus Snape, Ravenclaw Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley Bashing, Slytherin Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-03-13 19:25:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 33,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18947329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chelonie/pseuds/Chelonie
Summary: Harry realises that Ron is a bully, and befriends Neville and Hermione on the train. Together, they decide that they don't need to be in Gryffindor to be great.





	1. Trevor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Neville looks for his toad on the train, Harry goes with him instead of staying with Ron. And that makes all the difference...

Harry hated the whispers and stares. People who were trying to get a look at him and his stupid famous scar, before the hat fell over his head and blocked his vision.

 _'Hmmm...'_  There was a voice inside his head.  _'Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?'_

Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, _'Not Gryffindor, not Gryffindor'._  

 _'Not Gryffindor, eh?'_ said the small voice. _'Are you sure? That's what a lot of people will be expecting of you. You could be their hero, you know, and Gryffindor will help you on the way to heroism, no doubt about that_

_‘I didn’t ask to be a hero! I don’t want to be the Boy-Who-Lived! I just want to be a wizard!’_

_‘No? Well, if you're sure - better be_ **SLYTHERIN**!'

The last word was shouted aloud, and Harry felt a great surge of relief as he took the hat off of his head. Even though it meant that everyone had fallen silent, other than the students at the Slytherin table, who were clapping politely.

 _Good,_ Harry thought fiercely as he walked to the Slytherin table. _That’s exactly what I wanted. They should stop seeing me as something special._

* * *

If it hadn't been for Trevor, he might have fallen for it all. Neville was looking for his toad, and was clearly upset about it, but once he'd left, Ron said contemptuously, "Don't know what he's so bothered about. If I'd brought a toad, I'd lose it first thing."

And that was the last straw for Harry. He'd put up with Ron asking to look at his scar, and complaining about his family, and talking about slimy Slytherins... 

"I'm going to find the loo," Harry said, and he slipped out to find the boy who had obviously heard Ron and was trying to compose himself. "I'm sorry. He shouldn't have said that."

"He's always been like that," Neville said. "I've known him all my life, and he's always treated me like that."

"Doesn't make it right," Harry said. "I could help you look? If you want?” Harry said hesitantly. He wasn’t sure his companionship would be acceptable.

“S-sure,” the other boy said. “Er… my name is Neville Longbottom.”

"I'm Harry."

Neville didn’t even think of Harry Potter then. Harry Potter wouldn’t be dressed like a muggle. So they looked for his toad, and met a muggleborn girl named Hermione Granger who took over their search, and eventually they found Trevor in an empty compartment, where the three of them all sat down.

Hermione was still talking very fast about how excited she was about learning she was a witch, and then she turned to Harry. “When were you told? How did your parents react?”

“I found out a month ago. But my parents were magical. They were killed when I was a baby, so I’ve been living with my muggle aunt and uncle. So I’m not really muggleborn, just muggle-raised,” Harry said.

Hermione put her hands to her mouth. “Oh! You’re Harry Potter! You’re in ever so many books!”

“Am I?” Harry said, looking overwhelmed. “But I really didn’t know about magic until July 31 this year!”

“Goodness, didn’t you know? I’d have found out everything if it was me!” Hermione said. “Do you know what House you want to be in? I really hope I’m in Gryffindor. It seems by far the best. I hear Dumbledore was a Gryffindor.”

“My Gran wants me to be a Gryffindor,” Neville confessed shyly.

And that was when Harry got a very bad feeling. 

“This is looking awfully dodgy, you guys," he said.

“Er, what?” Neville said.

“Well, the first person to meet me and tell me about magic told me that Gryffindor was the best house, and that all dark wizards come from Slytherin. Then I meet Ron, who tells me his whole family are Gryffindors, and that Slytherins are slimy snakes. Then you, Hermione, who seems as Ravenclaw as they come, is convinced that you should be a Gryffindor because it’s the best House. And now you, Neville. You’ve been told that too? And it’s only one quarter of the students? Does that mean that there’s a favouritism scale going on? Gryffindor good, Slytherin bad, and the other two in between?” Harry ranted.

Neville thought it through. “Gran wants me to follow in Dad’s footsteps, and be an Auror. And he was a Gryffindor. But Mum was an Auror too, and she was a Hufflepuff. And the head of Hufflepuff is the Herbology professor, and I love plants. So I always thought Hufflepuff would be nice."

“Gryffindor is for the brave. Ravenclaw for the smart. Hufflepuff for the hardworking. Slytherin for the ambitious,” Hermione said. “All of those can be good traits.”

“But which is best for _you?”_ Harry said. "Does it matter which house Dumbledore was in?"

“I’m going to go get my copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ and see if I can find more…” and she dashed out of the compartment.

As soon as she was gone, Neville and Harry laughed, and they both said at the same time, “Ravenclaw!”

“Whatever Houses we’re in, I hope we’re friends,” Harry said.

“We will be,” Neville agreed.

* * *

Harry wondered if the three of them might have been Gryffindors if they hadn't met on the train. Instead, Hermione was in Ravenclaw, Neville was in Hufflepuff, and Harry was in Slytherin. Malfoy, the boy he'd seen in the robes shop, was introducing him to people by surname only. Harry supposed that might be wizard etiquette, and resolved to learn as fast as he could. 

After the excellent feast, which Harry could only pick at due to having been starved so much at the Dursleys, the Headmaster stood up to talk. 

"Death Corridor?" Harry said. "What?"

"That's new," said Gemma Farley, one of their Prefects. "I don't like the sound of that. The Forbidden Forest is extremely nasty though. You will want to stay out of it. You won't go in until Fifth Year at earliest, depending on your courses."

As soon as Harry entered the Slytherin Common Room, he knew he’d been sorted correctly. There were snakes _everywhere._ He could see them moving in the paintings, engraved in the wall sconces. The windows were cloudy and he knew from Hermione’s reading that they were actually under the Black Lake. Would they see mermaids during the day?

A man with dark robes and hair stepped out of the shadows once the prefects had herded all of the first years into one area. “I am Professor Snape. You are now in Slytherin House. Look around you, because when you leave these doors, the people in this room will be the ones you depend on. Slytherin House stands alone within Hogwarts. Because of that, outside these walls, you will come to one another’s aid. Any disputes you have with another Slytherin will be handled in private. Any punishments I hand out will be handed out in private. Am I understood.”

“Yes, sir,” the first years murmured.

Professor Snape went over the [Rules of Slytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/works/426484), and then, dismissed them. As they started to disperse, Harry heard the Professor’s voice say, “Potter, with me.”

 _How am I in trouble already?_ He wondered. He followed the Professor out of the Common Room and through a passage into what must be Professor Snape’s office. It was so sinister and interesting looking - full of jars of mysterious things floating in liquid, books, cauldrons… it made Harry want to explore, but he knew that he needed to keep his eyes on his Professor.

“Harry Potter,” he said. “Our newest… celebrity.”

Harry’s spine stiffened. “No sir.”

“No?” Snape said sharply.

“If I wanted to be treated like a celebrity, Sir, I would have let the hat place me in Gryffindor. It told me that I could have been a _hero_ there.” Harry let his contempt fall into the word hero. “I don’t want to be a celebrity or a hero. I definitely don’t want to be known as the Boy-Who-Lived or stared at because I survived and my parents didn’t.”

“Then what is it that you desire?” Snape asked.

“I want to learn to be a wizard. I want to make friends. I want to be a good Slytherin,” Harry said. “I want to be treated like a normal first-year. I don’t know if I'll get that, with everyone gawking at my forehead, but that’s what I want.”

“Very well,” Snape said. He waved his hand, and the passage opened back up. “Good luck at Hogwarts, Potter.”

“Wait…” Harry said, and he wasn’t sure what made him say it. “Do you have any advice, sir?”

“For what?”

“Keeping people from thinking I want to be a celebrity.”

Snape waved the door closed again, and thought carefully. “Stay out of trouble. No rule-breaking. No attention seeking. Focus on schoolwork rather than sports. If you were really raised as a muggle, get advice from your year mates on manners and etiquette. They might want a favour in return for assistance, and this is fair. Call everyone by surnames until invited to do otherwise. Giving someone permission to use your first name is a sign of trust and friendship.”

“Oh… I already introduced myself as Harry to a few people on the train,” Harry said.

“Which people?” Snape asked.

“Ron Weasley. Neville Longbottom, and Hermione Granger,” Harry said.

“No Slytherins,” Snape said.

“No sir. Draco Malfoy took over introducing me to everyone when I arrived at the Slytherin table, and since he was calling everyone by surnames, I followed his lead,” Harry said.

“Good call. You might also consider using your given name rather than continuing to go by Harry. It would separate you more from the mythos.”

“But Harry is my given name… isn’t it?” Harry asked.

Instead of immediately answering, Snape opened a drawer and pulled out a scroll, which he opened and showed to Harry.

There was a photograph of a young red-haired woman holding a tiny baby, and she was smiling and waving at the camera.

_By Magic’s Grace_

_we’ve been blessed with a boy_

_Hadrian James Potter_

_Born July 31, 1980_

“That’s my mum?” Harry said, choking. “I’ve never seen a picture of her before.”

“ _Gemino,”_ Snape said, and the birth announcement was duplicated. “You may keep it. Who raised you?”

“My Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley,” Harry answered.

“I see,” Snape said. “You should return to the common room. As your Head of House, you may come and speak to me if you have any difficulties… blending in.”

 

Once Potter was gone, Snape poured himself a scotch and downed it quickly. “Damn it, Albus. Petunia Evans? What were you thinking?”

* * *

When Harry got back into the dorms, he found that his bed was between Malfoy’s and Zabini’s.

“What did Snape want?” Zabini asked.

“He wanted to make sure I wasn’t planning on coasting on my celebrity. Once I assured him I wasn’t, then he offered some advice,” Harry - no, Hadrian, said. “He said since I was muggle-raised, I should ask some of you for help in learning pure-blood manners.”

Almost as one, the room looked towards Malfoy. “I’ll help you with manners and etiquette, Zabini will help you with grooming, Nott will catch you up on all the knowledge you’re missing. You’ll owe each of us a boon.”

“Nothing illegal or anything that takes advantage of the whole celebrity thing,” Hadrian said. “I’m trying to be a normal first year Slytherin. I hate that Boy-Who-Lived title.” And then quickly, “And if I don’t feel comfortable with what you ask, I’ll check with Professor Snape to see if it’s a fair boon.”

“You’ll tell us before you are going to Snape, so we have the opportunity to change what we ask, or agree to Snape’s mediation,” Malfoy said.

“Agreed,” Hadrian said.

* * *

 

The next morning, Zabini helped him with a few grooming charms - one that tied his tie perfectly, and another that removed all the wrinkles and lint from his robe.

“Your hair is hopeless. I think you should grow it out long.”

“Really? But that would take forever.”

“Oh no, not at all. Parkinson will know the right charm.”

“I don’t want to owe any more boons!” Hadrian groaned.

“I’ll handle it,” Zabini said.

As they left the boys dorm and entered the common room, Zabini said loudly, “Potter, your hair is atrocious. I don’t think even Parkinson could tame it.”

Of course she was in earshot. She spun around and said, “Wanna bet?”

“5 galleons you can’t,” he said.

She snorted and flicked her wand at Harry, and he felt his hair growing out long, until it reached a little past his shoulders. Another flick trimmed it all evenly, with loose ends falling to the floor, and then she pulled a green ribbon out of her pocket and tied Hadrian’s hair up in a ponytail at the base of his neck.

“What did you…?” Hadrian said.

“There’s a mirror over there,” she said, waving at an alcove. Hadrian walked over, and saw himself in the mirror and thought he looked strange. But good. He looked like a wizard.

“My scar is so visible,” he said. “I wish it wasn’t.”

“Own it,” Zabini said. “I know you don’t want to be a celebrity, but your scars are part of who you are. It’s not your fault people are stupid enough to think the Dark Lord was defeated by someone who was in diapers.”

“So you don’t think it was something I did?” Hadrian said.

“Puh-leeze,” Parkinson said. “What could you have done, drooled him to death? It was obviously your mum or dad who did some magic that protected you.”

Hadrian smiled faintly and touched his scar. “Then I’ll think of this scar as a symbol of my parents and not a symbol of being famous.”

He turned to Parkinson and offered his hand. “Thank you. I don’t think my hair has ever looked so good.”

She glowed at the praise, and after the boys left for breakfast, Zabini muttered to Hadrian, “You owe me 5 galleons, you know.”

“I know!” Hadrian laughed.

* * *

 

In the Great Hall, he waved at Neville, who seemed not to recognise him at first glance. He would have waved at Hermione too, but she was nose deep in a book. Their prefects told them they were normally allowed to sit at different tables, but for Great Feasts, and for the first breakfast of terms, they had to eat with their House. Zabini murmured that it was best etiquette to eat supper with their House, after Hadrian mentioned he already had a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw friend from the train.

“No Gryffindor friends? I thought I saw you with Weasley,” Malfoy said.

“I doubt he’ll consider me a friend now that I’m a Slytherin,” Hadrian said. “If he doesn’t, good riddance. If he’s going to let a tie colour tell him who to be friends with, I don’t need him in my life.”

“If he did, he only wanted to be friends with Harry Potter the celebrity, not the real you,” Zabini said.

“Speaking of which, I’m going by Hadrian Potter from now on. It’s Professor Snape’s advice,” Hadrian said. “I only introduced myself as Harry to a couple of people, and I’ll catch them soon and let them know. If you hear anyone call me ‘Harry’ after today, they aren’t really my friends.”

“Noted,” Malfoy said. “Good advice.”

 

He met Neville and Hermione at lunch, and they all agreed they were in the best Houses for them. Hermione gushed about the library and study rooms in the Ravenclaw Tower. Neville was delighted with how much sunlight the Hufflepuff Sett received. 

"Everyone says Professor Snape is really awful though. Are you okay with him?" Neville asked.

"He seems pretty protective of the Slytherins. He gave me advice on how to deal with the celebrity thing. I'm going by Hadrian now. Except only with my close friends. Everyone else can call me Potter."

"Are we-" Hermione began.

"You and Neville are invited to use my first name," Hadrian said with a smile. "No one else, so far. But some of the Slytherins are giving me advice on etiquette and grooming." He tugged at his ponytail. "So I'll probably be extending that soon. And when I have been in the corridors, the Slytherins stay bunched around me to keep the gawkers away."

"That's great. The Hufflepuffs would have done that, but I doubt the Gryffindors would," Neville said. "They'd have wanted to show you off, not protect you."

"The Ravenclaws wouldn't have done either one. Most of us are kind of... off in our own world..." Hermione said.

"It seems we all got the right Houses," Hadrian said.

"Yes," Neville said. "I don't care if my Gran is disappointed. She doesn't have to live here for seven years."

"My parents don't know enough to be disappointed," Hermione said. "They'll be pleased as long as I get good grades."

"The whole room was disappointed in my sorting," Hadrian said mildly.

"And that's disgusting. They don't own you!" Neville said.

"I'm glad Trevor got lost," Hermione said. "If it wasn't for him, we could have all been Gryffindors."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hermione: I want to be a Gryffindor! It's the best House!  
> Neville: You're like the Ravenclawest Raven that ever did Claw.  
> Hermione: I'm totally brave!  
> Harry: I'm sure, but your happy thought for the Patronus was the first time your Dad took you to the public library  
> Hermione: And...?  
> Neville: Your first thought when you wanted to rescue the house elves wasn't to talk to the elves, but to go to the library.  
> Hermione: So...?  
> Harry: You take books to Quidditch games.  
> Neville: You finished reading all of our first year texts before school started.  
> Harry: You've read Hogwarts: A History cover to cover.  
> Hermione: But... Dumbledore...!  
> Neville: Isn't you!  
> Harry: Why is Dumbledore your hero instead of Rowena Ravenclaw? In what universe does that possibly make sense?


	2. Weasley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ron Weasley causes trouble.  
> (CW: reference to Dursley's canon abuse and neglect)
> 
> *canonically, McLaggen is a year ahead of Ron. I've put him in the same year so he can have a sidekick.

The Slytherins couldn't protect him completely from the stares. Every class was paired with another House (usually Gryffindor, which made no sense given the legendary House rivalry) and though his year mates surrounded him in the corridors, they couldn't do so in class. In the Greenhouses, they were to sit four to a table, and Hadrian's table had an open spot after the Slytherins had all seated themselves. Ron Weasley sat down right next to Hadrian.

“What’s wrong with you, Harry? You were supposed to be a Gryffindor, not a slimy snake!” he demanded.

Hadrian turned to him with a weary expression. “I am a Slytherin. I am proud to be a Slytherin." 

“I thought we were friends!” Ron Weasley hissed.

Hadrian tilted his head. “You can’t be friends with a Slytherin?”

“No! I wouldn’t ever!” he spluttered.

Hadrian stood up. “Then we are not friends. Goodbye.” He started to walk away, intending to change seats with someone, but Ron grabbed his arm and pulled him back, and Harry felt a wand at his throat.

“Don't turn away when I'm talking to you!” Ron yelled.

"Weasley!" Malfoy shouted. Every Slytherin had their wand pointed at Ron now, and Hadrian's heart was warmed at the show of solidarity. He'd certainly never had that when he'd been bullied by Dudley. "Release Potter! I challenge you to a wizard's duel!"

"Fine!" Weasley sneered, and he shoved Hadrian hard. He staggered backwards, hit a bench with his legs, and went down hard. As he caught himself, he felt the familiar snap of his wrist breaking.  _No, no, no... I didn't need this..._ He'd broken this wrist so many times since the first time Dudley had slammed his arm in the car door. It was one of his body's weak spots. He hissed in pain and cradled his wrist.

Nott crouched next to him and helped him up. "We'll need to get you to the Hospital Wing."

"After class..." Hadrian muttered.

"Now..." Nott said. "Zabini, back me up."

Just then, Professor Sprout entered, and when she saw Harry cradling his hand and wands pointed at Ron Weasley, she immediately demanded to know what was going on.

"Harry started it!" Ron insisted. "He got all of his snake friends to attack me! I was defending myself!"

An uproar of voices protested this, until Sprout said. "Let me hear from Mr Potter."

"Weasley sat next to me and said I was supposed to be a Gryffindor, not a slimy snake. I told him I was proud to be Slytherin, and when he said he couldn't be friends with a Slytherin, I decided to change seats. He put a wand to my throat, then he shoved me." He didn't know the rules of a 'wizard's duel', or whether Malfoy could get in trouble for proposing one.

Parvati Patil had her hand in the air. "Please ma'am, Potter is telling the truth. He never took out a wand or attacked. The Slytherins only took out their wands after Weasley put a wand to Potter's throat." Her sister was friends with Granger, who was friends with Potter. That made her feel like she was on Potter's side. Besides, Weasley had done nothing but whinge since she'd met him.

Weasley turned on her. "Traitor!"

"Nott, take Potter to the Hospital Wing, and five points to Slytherin for that. Weasley, ten points from Gryffindor and a week's detention. Patil, five points to Gryffindor for telling the truth. Potter, five points to Slytherin for keeping your cool under provocation. Now, let's get started." 

* * *

As they went back up to the castle, Hadrian said, "I like her. She's fair."

"Yeah. She has that reputation," Nott said. "She and Flitwick are fair. McGonagall and Dumbledore are Gryffindorist. Snape is ridiculously biased in favour of Slytherin."

"What is a wizard's duel?" asked Hadrian.

"Oh, a duel of honour, to settle disagreements. Sometimes to the death, sometimes to first blood. Or there could be other contingencies, like first person to step outside the duelling circle loses. It's all in the negotiations. Oh, and you were right to keep quiet. They are against the rules for students."

"So Weasley and Malfoy...? Should we be worried?"

"I doubt Weasley knows enough magic to bloody a nose," Nott said. "Malfoy will be fine." 

As soon as they walked into the Hospital Wing, the matron said, "Yes, Potter. Your Head of House asked me to give you a health check."

"Why? I'm fine!" Hadrian protested. "Other than my wrist."

"Because you're muggle-raised. Have you been vaccinated for magical diseases?" she asked.

"Er..."

"Exactly. You need the standard muggleborn health exam. It won't take long."

"I just wanted to get my wrist fixed," Hadrian said.

"And he needs new glasses," Nott said. When Hadrian gave him a look, he said, "What? I've noticed you squinting."

"That'll show up too," Madam Pomfrey said.

She gave him a potion to drink, and after he gulped down the noxious mess, she told him to lie down and she waved her wand over him in intricate patterns. Then she touched her wand to a quill, which began writing on a parchment by itself for several minutes. When it finished, she picked it up and began reading. "This is troubling. You haven't had _any_ of the vaccinations. You shouldn't have been allowed in the door. You need nutrition potions. You have several bones which were broken and never set properly."

"I was a clumsy kid," Hadrian mumbled. It had usually been Dudley. Once it had been Uncle Vernon. And then Aunt Petunia had hit him on the head with the frying pan once. At least it hadn't been hot. She'd just picked it up off the draining board. "But I'm fine now. Can I just get my wrist fixed, and the vaccinations and the glasses?"

She cast a spell and his wrist was mended. "That's only temporary though. You'll have trouble writing and using a wand until we get the arm bones above it set properly. And it probably hurts, doesn't it?"

"But! It'll hurt more to re-break it!" Hadrian said.

"Oh no, we won't do that," Madam Pomfrey said. "We'll need to vanish the bones and regrow them, from the elbow to wrist, two of your fingers, and three bones in your foot."

"Magic can do that?!" Hadrian said.

"Of course," Madam Pomfrey said. "May I have your permission to share this with your Head of House?"

"Yes, ma'am. But no one else. Not even the Headmaster, if you please."

"As you wish. Come back on Friday night, prepared to stay for the weekend. I'll get an Oculist in over that time, while you're getting your bones fixed and your immunisations done. Your nutritional potions will begin tomorrow at breakfast."

"Thank you, ma'am," Hadrian said.

"And Potter? Since you haven't had your vaccinations, you need to avoid close contact with anyone. No hugging, kissing, snuggling, wrestling, sharing beds, eating off the same plate. Anything like that."

Hadrian tried not to grimace at the thought of  _kissing_ someone, or  _sharing a bed._ Just ewww!

* * *

Snape needed to use all his Occlumency before he was able to summon Potter after supper to discuss what Poppy had revealed.

"Madam Pomfrey showed me the results of your health report," he began.

"Yes, Sir. I have to go back this weekend to get my bones fixed and my immunisations," Hadrian said.

"She has also advised, and I agree, that you shouldn't begin flying until your health has improved. You are anaemic, your bone density is low, and you are below weight and height for your age."

Hadrian looked gutted. "Is this an absolute decision, or do I get a say so?"

"Are you planning to spend your Hogwarts days in the infirmary from flying injuries?" Snape asked with a sneer. "Consider it very strongly worded advice, from the Hogwarts Healer and your Head of House. You may appeal to the Headmaster, however, if you'd rather behave recklessly. He will no doubt overturn the Healer's decision in order to encourage any Gryffindor tendencies you may have."

That seemed to be enough to take the wind out of Hadrian's sails. Severus  _loved_ how much the boy hated Godric's House. "No, sir. I'm not a Gryffindor. How long do you think it might be?"

"If you take the nutritional potions you will be receiving each morning, and eat healthy - plenty of vegetables and not too much dessert - then we can revisit this after Yule. It may not be until the start of second year, however."

Hadrian took a breath. He clearly hated the thought of taking flying next year, with a new group of first years, who would all be staring at him and his scar. "Yes, Sir. I'll do my best."

"Potter, may I ask... how is your home life?" Snape asked carefully.

Hadrian looked up, and his green eyes met Snape's. He was tempted to use  _Legilimency,_ but he never used it on his snakes. Not unless there was a present danger. And he didn't need it when the boy's expression was so wounded. "They hate me. I wish I never had to go back there."

* * *

That night, when they were studying in the Slytherin Common Room, Hadrian asked, "What happened with the Wizard's Duel?"

Malfoy sniggered. "I told him to meet me at midnight in the Trophy Room, with his second. He chose McLaggen."

"You're not worried? McLaggen's huge."

"Nah, I'm not going. I spoke to the Baron, and he's going to get several of the ghosts to lead Filch to the spot."

"Ha! And he's already got a week of detention!" Hadrian snorted. "Nice one!"

"Yeah, like I'm getting up at midnight for a Weasley... one day I'll duel him for real, but it won't be somewhere I can get in trouble for it."

* * *

The next morning at breakfast, there was another 20 points down in the Gryffindor hourglass, and no one would sit next to Ron Weasley except for McLaggen. Both Gryffindors looked angry. 

Weasley and McLaggen both stalked over as breakfast ended. "Too much of a coward to show?" Malfoy said, getting in the opening salvo.

"What are you talking about? We were there!" Weasley said. "You weren't."

"Crabbe and I waited here in the Great Hall for twenty minutes before giving up on you," Malfoy sneered.

"You said the Trophy Room!"

"No I didn't!" Malfoy said. "Who would fight a duel in the Trophy Room? Spells would bounce off all the glass and metal! I said Great Hall!"

Weasley spluttered. "Tonight then!"

"No thanks," Malfoy said. "I lost enough sleep thanks to you."

Hadrian wanted to applaud. Weasley and McLaggen were so red in the face they reminded him of Uncle Vernon. 

About then, the owls entered. Hadrian always wondered why they came in at mealtime, when there was the chance of getting feathers (or worse) in people's plates, but at least it wasn't until the end of breakfast that they were allowed to enter. To his surprise, Hedwig came to him with a note. He opened it to find a note from Hagrid inviting him to tea on Friday afternoon. He took out a quill and replied:

 

> Dear Hagrid,
> 
> I am unable to come this Friday as I have to spend the weekend at the Hospital Wing. I'm okay, but I didn't get my vaccinations before school. Perhaps next Friday? May I bring a couple of friends?
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Hadrian Potter

He had hesitated before the salutation. He had forgotten that Hagrid was one of the people who were calling him 'Harry'. He'd never given him permission to call him by his first name, but he'd not been going by Potter at the time either, so Hagrid hadn't done anything wrong. He would wait until tea to decide how it would go.

* * *

Snape had been right about the nutrition potions. They were vile. Hadrian had learned to gulp them down as fast as he could, trying not to taste them, and then immediately drinking some milk and eating his porridge and fruit. He discovered that he'd begun receiving different meals than the rest of his House mates. He supposed whoever worked the kitchens had received special instructions on his behalf. It made him feel warm inside that someone cared for his welfare enough to go to that much trouble.

That morning, they had Potions with the Gryffindors, and Hadrian made sure to claim Nott as a partner before they entered the classroom. They grabbed a seat on the front row - Hadrian needed to sit on the front row in all of his classes in order to see - but before class started, he went to Parvati Patil and offered his hand.

"Thank you for standing up for me yesterday," he said. 

She shook his hand. "It was only the truth," she said. Then she leaned forward and whispered. "Everyone hates Weasley. He won't stop complaining about you being a Slytherin. Alicia Spinnet shouted at him to get over it already, and Steven Osterly said he needed to be part of the Gryffindor House he was in, not the one he imagined he'd be in, and Weasley's brothers threatened to write to his Mum if he didn't stop making trouble."

Hadrian's head spun a little at all of that. "You should tell Parkinson," he said. She was the one who kept track of all of the gossip in Slytherin. "In fact... I'll introduce you." Patil squeaked a little, as he took her by the elbow and led her over to where Parkinson was just entering the room. "Pansy Parkinson, this is Parvati Patil, who apparently knows all of the dirt on Weasley."

Parkinson's eyes glittered. "Oh my dear, we must partner together this class..."

Hadrian quickly retreated and sat back down next to Nott.

"What have you done?" said Nott. He was wiping out his cauldron, making sure there was no dust in it.

"Connected the Gryffindor and the Slytherin gossip mills so that we always know what's going on in the Lion's Den?" said Hadrian with an innocent expression.

Nott smirked. "You're dangerous... I like you."

* * *

During Potions class, Hadrian got an up front look at why everyone except the Slytherins hated Professor Snape. He was a terrible teacher, made it clear that he hated being there, took points from Gryffindors for the most ridiculous of infractions, and gave points to Slytherins for unfair reasons. Hadrian wasn't sorry that Weasley exploded his own cauldron on himself, but in fairness, admitted that it was a mistake anyone in their very first class could have made. He wondered why Snape was a professor when it was clear it was something he loathed. He clearly loved potioneering, but teaching children to do it was not in his skill set.

Hadrian and Nott's potion turned out acceptable, mostly due to Nott's work. Hadrian knew he'd need to learn more. He supposed having his wrist properly repaired would help, but he also knew there was information missing that many of the other Slytherins (and pure-blood Gryffindors) already knew. How to prepare ingredients, how to control the heat - even the stirring needed to be precise, Nott told him. 

 _We need a study group,_ Hadrian realised. 

* * *

At lunch, he, Neville, and Hermione sat at the Slytherin table discussing plans to make a study group for each class. 

"An inter-House study group?" Malfoy said. "That's unusual. It's typically kept within House."

"That's probably because it's made so hard to get together with people outside of your House," Hadrian said. "Two of the Houses won't even let other students in their Common Rooms. And of course, if you want to study after curfew, you're definitely doing it in House. But I think it's still worth doing."

"How big is the group going to be?" Hermione said. "And do we have to have Gryffindors?"

"If you make it an official school club, you can't exclude anyone by House, unless it's a single House club," said Parkinson. "You can have a Slytherin only club, but you can't have a no-Slytherins-allowed club."

"Can you exclude people who have, say, been disciplined for attacking another student?" said Neville slyly.

"Ha! That gets rid of Weasley, but not McLaggen," Zabini said.

"McLaggen hexed Longbottom in front of Flitwick," Parkinson said. 

"What? You never said!" Hadrian whirled on Neville.

"It was just a tickling hex. And Flitwick reversed it straight away," Neville said, embarrassed.

"It was still an attack," Parkinson said. "The tickling hex can be bloody dangerous in a duel, especially if it's cast by someone powerful. You'll be laughing so hard you can't breathe, you drop your wand, and next spell, they get you."

"If we're making it an official club, we'll need a sponsor," Hermione said.

"Not Snape," Hadrian said quickly. When the Slytherins looked at him in betrayal. "You know he'd hate doing it!"

"So Flitwick or Sprout?" Neville said. "I think Flitwick would be a better choice. Sprout would rather be outdoors."

"I vote Hermione in charge of putting the proposal together. After we get an official group, the group will vote a president," Hadrian said.

"Me?" Hermione said. "I thought it would be you!"

"You'll do great," Hadrian said. "I've seen how organised your notes are. Everyone here will help you. I'm sure you know some Claws who will help, and the Puffs live to help. But I can't help, because I've got to go regrow my arm this weekend." He pulled a face. "Don't you love magic?"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry: And then, I become the youngest Seeker in a century!  
> Neville: But you have bad eyesight! How can you find the Snitch?  
> Hermione: And those glasses are so old you've said they've been broken and repaired with sellotape a dozen times. Are they even prescription glasses? Your Aunt doesn't seem the type to take you to the Optician, even for NHS glasses.  
> Neville: And how are you healthy enough to be an athlete when you've been starved.  
> Harry: I'm just that good! I'm a Potter!  
> Snape: Insolent brat! Just like your father!


	3. Cerberus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio discover the Death Corridor, followed by Hadrian's weekend in the Hospital Wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: It's not clear whether Tonks graduated Hogwarts the year before Hadrian arrived, or whether they overlapped a year. I'm having her overlapping a year because it's more fun.
> 
> Also, I prefer Dorea Black and Charlus Potter as Hadrian's grandparents, even though it's not canon. I just like having him related to Sirius, Tonks, and Draco.

Hadrian had come to lunch prepared for his infirmary stay, with a bag packed with clothing and books. Neville and Hermione promised his Slytherin classmates to escort him all the way to the Hospital Wing - the Slytherins never walked the corridors alone. There were too many people who had it in for 'slimy snakes'. 

They got sidetracked by Peeves, who was jumping up and down on the moving staircase, making it switch back and forth without settling on any landing. They weren't sure how to get around, but Hermione thought of asking a portrait, who advised them to walk through the wall past the next tapestry, and climb the ladder at the end of the hall. They found the tapestry and the illusory wall, but the ladder only led up one floor when they needed to go up three. 

They had reached a stretch of corridor without any portraits, so they walked aimlessly, just hoping to find a ghost or a portrait or a prefect or someone who could help them. And then Hadrian opened a door and froze in terror.

Dog.

**_Dogdogdogdogdog....._ **

Thankfully Hermione had more presence of mind than him, because she grabbed the door and slammed it. 

They all looked at one another.

"What is a Cerberus doing in a school behind an unlocked door?" Hermione shrieked. "That's a Class XXXXX creature!"

"I hate to sound like Malfoy, but my Gran is going to hear about this," Neville said.

"I hate dogs..." Hadrian muttered. "I really really hate dogs."

"Look," Hermione said. "I think I see someone." She pointed down the corridor and there was a ghost floating there. "Hey! Sir Nicholas!"

The ghost floated towards them, looking shocked. "Pardon?"

"Sir Nicholas, could you lead us to the Hospital Wing please? Only we've gotten a little lost because of Peeves," Hermione asked.

"You know my name?" the ghost asked, looking stunned.

"You're Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington," Neville said. "You're the Gryffindor House ghost. I'm Neville Longbottom, this is Hermione Granger, and -"

"No," Hadrian said. He had his head lowered, to keep his scar from showing.

"And our sick friend doesn't want to be introduced," Neville finished. Everyone knew that the ghosts were terrible gossips. What else were you going to do when you didn't have a body, but talk?

"I shall be delighted to assist," Sir Nicholas said. "Simply follow me."

* * *

They arrived at the Infirmary just as Weasley was being discharged for his potions mishap. Weasley started in on them, but stopped as soon as he saw the Gryffindor ghost watching him in disgust. Sir Nicholas floated through the ceiling, and Hadrian had a feeling Weasley was going to hear more about this later. 

Madam Pomfrey encouraged him to change into his pyjamas and get comfortable, because he was going to be taking his immunisations first. He was expecting jabs, but that was a muggle thing. Magical immunisations were given by potions. And of course they tasted foul. He'd have rather had a jab.

When Madam Pomfrey pulled the curtain back, Hermione was still sitting there. "We're going to take it in turns all weekend to keep you company. I remember how miserable I felt when I got my immunisations, so I thought I could read to you. If you like...?"

"I feel okay," Hadrian said. 

"That won't last," Madam Pomfrey said. "Lay back and get comfortable."

She was right. Soon, he grew feverish and nauseous as his immune system incorporated the new information. Hermione read to him from one of her muggle books. Something about a little girl who had a pet pig... and a spider... 

* * *

The afternoon passed in a fever haze. Hermione was replaced by Neville, who was replaced by Nott, who was replaced by Parkinson, who was replaced by... someone he didn't know. She was reading a book entitled _Harry Potter and the Merprincess of Atlantis_  and doing amazing voices. The book itself was ridiculous. Apparently young Harry Potter was quite the adventurer, and there were people who believed these stories to be biography. 

Hadrian woke up enough to look at the girl - a sixth or seventh year with bright green hair - and ask "Who're you?"

"Oh, there you are! I'm your third cousin. Or second cousin once removed? I never can keep all of that straight. I'm Dora Tonks."

"I have a cousin?" Hadrian said.

"Your grandmother, Dorea Black, was my great-great-aunt," Dora said. 

"I didn't think I had any magical relatives," said Hadrian.

"Well, you have me. And my mum. And Draco is a cousin of yours too - his mum and mine are sisters. Anyway, that's why I'm here. I overheard Draco and Neville making plans to sneak out after curfew, because of you being in the Wing all weekend. But seventh year curfew is later than firsties, so I volunteered to come instead. Oh! Don't spread it around that Draco and me are on speaking terms, because my mum is supposedly disowned from the family for marrying a muggleborn. His Dad would go all 'RAWWR' if he found out that Draco and Narcissa still talk to us." Dora said cheerfully.

"Er... okay," said Hadrian. He was getting a little overwhelmed. "Why do you have one of those stupid Harry Potter books?"

"Just asked around until I had a pile of them. Though you'd get a kick out of seeing how stupid they are. I mean, obviously you didn't battle a sea serpent, raise Atlantis, and marry a merprincess, all before you were old enough to own a wand."

"The book has me get married?" Hadrian says.

"Oh you get married about a dozen times in this series. It's kind of gross. Not only underage marriage, but underage polygamy."

"Can I have a bucket?" Hadrian asked.

"I know, right? It's totally vile!"

Hadrian didn't have a chance to say that he literally was asking for a bucket. He turned to the other side of the bed, away from Dora, and was sick in that direction instead.

"Oh! Sorry..." Dora said. She waved her wand, and vanished the sick. "Do you want me to get Madam Pomfrey?"

"No, she said it's normal. A glass of water though?" Hadrian asked.

Dora fetched a glass of water, and Hadrian sipped at it, thinking through what he'd learned. "Does the magical world have lawyers? Could I sue the publishers for writing about me without my permission?"

Dora's eyes widened, then she grinned. "I don't know about the second question, but my Dad is a lawyer. I'll owl him for you!"

"Thanks Dora," he said. "I think I'll go to sleep now."

* * *

The next time Hadrian woke up, it was Professor Snape who was sitting next to him.

"'Lo, Sir," he slurred.

"I won't ask how you feel. It's obvious you feel dreadful," Snape said. "Why are you reading this garbage?" He picked up  _Harry Potter and the Chimera's Secret_ between two fingers, as if it was made of hippogriff dung. 

"Dora thought it would be funny," Hadrian said.

"Dora...?"

"Green hair... Puff... Seventh year... Forget her last name..." Hadrian mumbled. "Said she was my cousin."

 _Tonks,_ Snape thought. He had refused to allow her into his NEWTs potions course, despite her wish to become an Auror. She knew everything, but she was too clumsy, and he wouldn't have it. Alastor Moody himself had tried to overrule him, but Snape had stood firm. Last he'd heard, the girl was being tutored privately in potions in order to try and pass the NEWT. Which was fine by him - so long as she didn't endanger his other students.

"And did you think it was funny?"

"S'gross. Gonna sue the publisher," Hadrian said. "Wh'time is it?"

"Two forty eight," Snape said. "You probably have another three hours of feeling this wretched before it'll be out of your system."

"Why're you here?"

"You're one of my snakes, Potter. It's my job," Snape said.

Snape didn't offer to read to him, but he did change out the cool cloth on Hadrian's forehead regularly, and help him to the toilet once. Hadrian dozed in and out of sleep for the rest of the night, until finally he woke with Malfoy sitting next to him.

"How come you never told me we were cousins?" Hadrian said. 

"You're awake! How do you feel?"

"I feel okay, _Cousin Draco_ ," Hadrian said.

Malfoy flushed. "You hate your muggle cousin, and he's a first cousin. I thought maybe it'd be better to... not say anything."

"I met Dora last night." Before Malfoy could say anything. "I know, you're 'officially' estranged."

"Dad would ship me off to Durmstrang if he got a hint," Malfoy said. 

Hadrian's eyes opened wide. He knew Durmstrang was on the continent. He also knew that Malfoy would hate being that far from his parents. "My lips are sealed." He could see Malfoy still looked scared. "I can't take a magical vow right now, because Madam Pomfrey took my wand. I'm not allowed to use magic all weekend. But once I get it back, I will. I won't endanger you."

Malfoy let out a breath. "Thank you, Potter."

"Call me Hadrian," he said. 

Malfoy smiled. "Draco. But never Cousin Draco. So... what's with the stack of 'Harry Potter' books?"

"I'm going to see if I can sue the publishers. Will you ask Parkinson to ask around and collect the whole series to give to my lawyer? I'd hate to actually purchase them."

"She'll want a boon."

"Granted. Same terms as yours," Hadrian said. "Speaking of which, Zabini will probably want to help me choose my new glasses. The appointment is at 10."

"He won't  _help_  you choose, he'll choose them himself," Draco said. "And if you want to look good, you'll let him."

"He still wants me to order more clothes." Hadrian said.

"You only have three school robes!" 

"That's what it said on the letter to get!"

"Pfft. That's so you have one on your body, one in the wardrobe, and one in the laundry. That's absolute minimum. You definitely need more. And who wants to wear uniforms on weekends?"

"True," Hadrian said. "Did Neville and Hermione tell you that we accidentally found out what's in the Death Corridor?"

"No way!" Draco said. "What was it?"

"A Cerberus!"

"NO WAY!" Draco said. "That's a Class XXXXX! My father is going to hear about this!"

"That's almost exactly what Neville said! If you hurry, you might catch him in the Owlery writing to his Gran."

"What did it look like?"

"Imagine the scariest dog you've ever seen... then imagine it being as tall as that bookshelf over there. Then imagine it having three heads. Then imagine Hadrian Potter's funeral. Hermione was the one who had the sense to close the door. If I'd been alone, I'd have run, and then I'd have been dog food. No way could I have outrun that thing. Not when its feet are the size of serving platters," Hadrian said.

"And there were no signs or anything? No locks? Nothing to stop anyone from wandering in?"

"Nothing but the Headmaster's warning at the feast, and that doesn't mean much when you're lost in the Castle. Peeves had sabotaged the moving staircase, so we were trying to find a different way to the Hospital Wing," Hadrian said.

"Definitely writing Father about this," Draco said. "He won't like that his Heir could have been eaten."

* * *

Zabini had Very Strong Opinions about Hadrian's glasses, which were that round black frames looked terrible on him, and that he would do much better to have glasses with an invisible frame.

"But I'll lose them!" Hadrian objected.

"No you won't. There's a charm in the glasses case to make them light up if touch your wand to it. And they aren't fully invisible. It'll look like the whole thing is made of glass. Except it's not. It's a non-breakable material. It'll highlight your eyes. You have great eyes," Zabini said.

"If only they could see," Hadrian muttered.

"What charms would you like on these glasses?" the Oculist, Mr Smythe, asked.

"What is available?" Hadrian asked.

"All of them," Zabini said. "Unless some of them overlap or conflict with one another."

And that's how Hadrian found himself with glasses that could see in the dark, among other functions. He had to immediately walk into the toilet and close the door to test it, and they worked perfectly! Just like the night vision goggles on Dudley's favourite computer game. And when he wasn't in the dark, he could actually see! He looked out the window, and he could make out the leaves on the trees of the Forbidden Forest! When he looked with his old glasses, it was just a blur of colours. 

"Wow, these are great! Thank you!" he told Mr Smythe.

"You should get another check-up before school starts each year," Mr Smythe said. "Or if you have any difficulties at all with your classes. Good luck."

* * *

Hadrian had another hour before the next awful stage of the weekend, so he let Zabini talk him through the clothing catalogs. Now that he could see, it wasn't quite as arduous an ordeal, and he placed several sizeable orders for new clothing and shoes. 

"Dragonhide boots are amazing, but you can't get growth charms put on them. So unless you have a special event, you probably should just get cow or sheep hide. Then you'll be able to wear them for at least a year. Buy them from Madam Elbert's Footwear, and they'll be a perfect fit. She does the best work."

"How can she make it a perfect fit when we're buying by owl order?" Hadrian asked.

"Because of this," Zabini said, and put a piece of parchment on the floor. "Put your bare foot on that." Hadrian did, and the parchment folded up and squashed around his foot, as if it was wrapping it in tin foil. Then he touched his wand to it, and the paper opened up again, looking all crinkled. Zabini picked it up and wrote on it  _H. P. Left Foot_ . "Okay, Right foot now." He offered a second paper to Hadrian, and the same happened.  _H.P. Right Foot._

"Why just my initials?" Hadrian asked.

"I think it's best for all your owl orders. We don't want breathless reports in  _Witch Weekly_ of what brand of clothes and shoes you purchase because there was an indiscreet shop assistant picking up the post," Zabini said.

"Eww, no!" Hadrian said. 

"I'll go place your orders. I think I see the Matron coming to Vanish your arm," Zabini said.

"You can have it done now, and be released at bedtime, or you can come back at bedtime and have it done overnight," Madam Pomfrey said. "It's pretty painful, so I'd advise the latter. I can give you a sleeping draught so you sleep through the whole thing."

"Bedtime," Hadrian said. He was glad to escape for the day.

* * *

Hadrian and his friends went outside for the day, as the weather was good. Hermione was talking very fast about the plans she was making for the study group, while Padma Patil and Susan Bones braided Hermione's hair. Neville had a box of matches that he was trying to transfigure into needles, with little success. Hadrian simply lay back on the grass, still exhausted from his long night. He remembered one of the charms on his glasses and said the word while tapping them with his wand, and the lenses darkened into prescription sunglasses.

"Perfect!" he said. 

"You think so?" Hermione said. "I just wonder if meeting every night will be too much for some people."

Hadrian didn't bother to correct her. "If they don't want to come every night, they don't have to. We study with the people who are there."

"So long as we don't get a huge influx of people right before a big assignment, or before exams," Padma said. "We won't carry people who haven't been doing the work."

"A minimum attendance requirement," said Bones. "Say, once a week. If you don't attend enough, you get dropped from the group."

"That sounds fair," Neville said.

* * *

That night was not quite as miserable as the night before, if only because he slept through it. Professor Snape turned up again, with a copy of Potioneers Monthly to read, and left when Neville arrived in the morning. Hadrian lifted his hand, turning his wrist back and forth, amazed that it no longer hurt. It had been painful since he was four years old! 

"Wow... this is great!" he said. "Thank you, Madam Pomfrey!"

She smiled. "Just my job."

"Is there anything else this weekend?"

"No, Potter. You're clear to go. Still no flying, but that ban on kissing has been lifted now that you're immunised."

"Ugh, no thank you!" Hadrian huffed.

Madam Pomfrey just laughed. "You won't be saying that in a couple of years."

"Why do grown-ups always say that?" Neville asked as he helped Hadrian pack up.

"They think we'll hit fourth year and automatically want to glue our faces to someone else's."

Neville thought about what he'd seen in his Common Room. "Gross."

"Let's see if we can catch the others up before breakfast is over!"

* * *

By lunchtime, there were rumours all over the school that a task force from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had come to Hogwarts with a team of Aurors and a warrant to search for an illegal beast on the premises. Hadrian, Neville, and Hermione managed to get to a balcony in time to see the Cerberus being led out on a leash with three ends. Hagrid was following after it weeping, and Dumbledore was remonstrating with the Aurors. 

"I wonder why he is so insistent on trying to keep it?" Hermione said.

"It was awfully inhumane keeping it in such a small space," Neville said. "I hope they are sending it to a proper sanctuary."

"Don't care. As long as it's gone," Hadrian said. "Do you think your Gran will mind if I send her a thank you letter?"

"She won't mind at all. She'd be delighted," Neville said.

"Good. I'll do that. And Draco's father as well," Hadrian said.

* * *

Those weren't the only two letters he sent that weekend. He also placed a rather large owl order with Honeydukes, buying candy for Madam Pomfrey, Professor Snape, and everyone who had come and sat with him while he was in the Hospital Wing. 

It was great to have friends.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon!Harry: My Aunt Marge breeds bulldogs.  
> canon!Harry: She sets them on me for fun!  
> Author: I'm a crazy dog lover who would love to have a pet Cerberus, but how are you not scared of dogs?  
> canon!Harry: I am truly a Gryffindor!


	4. Hagrid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio has tea with Hagrid. It doesn't go well.

The following week was pretty rotten. Weasley had found out that Hadrian was banned from flying, and made a point of boasting about his prowess, the flying prowess of his family in general, how his brother Charlie had been Gryffindor's star seeker, and could have played for England if he hadn't taken a job in Romania at a dragon sanctuary, how his twin brothers were currently Beaters for the house team, how he would be on the team this year if it wasn't for the rule against it, and how he felt so sorry for anyone who wasn't able to fly, as it was the best experience in the world.

It went on whenever Gryffindor and Slytherin were in class together. It was really getting old.

The only class he had a clear improvement in this week was Astronomy - because he could finally see what he was looking at. He'd been mystified the first week how he was supposed to tell one star from another when they were all vague white dots, but now he could see the differences in size and colour.

On Friday, after having to listen to Weasley boasting about how well flying class had gone the day before, and having his potion fail (Theo thought Weasley had sabotaged them), Hadrian was glad the week was over. He decided to make it his goal not to see Weasley all weekend if possible.

* * *

After lunch, Hadrian, Neville, and Hermione went to see Hagrid for tea. But when a giant dog bounded out the door, Hadrian turned and ran until he found a tree to climb up. “What’s a matter? It’s only Fang! ‘E’s no harm to anyone!” Hagrid called.

“I.. don’t… like… dogs…” Hadrian said, remembering Aunt Marge and the dogs she would set on him. “Please.”

Hagrid seemed hurt, but he tied Fang up behind the house and helped Hadrian down from the tree. He couldn’t get the hang of calling Harry ‘Hadrian’, and Harry eventually gave up. But when Hagrid started telling stories about leaving Harry on the doorstep of the Dursleys, Hadrian looked up at him, hurt. “You left me on a _doorstep?_ Why?”

“Well, Dumbledore though’ it was best. Great man, Dumbledore," Hagrid said.

“Oh, if _Dumbledore_ thought it was a good idea…” Hadrian said, with a sarcasm that only Hagrid could miss.

“Look Hadrian! Someone broke into Gringotts!” Hermione said brightly, trying to break the tension.

Neither Harry nor Neville was interested, and they left soon afterwards.

“He left me on the doorstep overnight! I was a baby! He could have rung the bell!” Hadrian said angrily.

“I’m sure he had a good-” Hermione said.

Neville whirled on her. “Don’t, Hermione. Can you think of any reason at all you would leave a baby outdoors on their own, for even _five minutes_ , in _any_ sort of weather? Day or night?”

Hermione wilted. “No. There's no excuse.”

“He didn't want my Aunt and Uncle to say no. Which they would have. And then he would have had to find someone else to take care of me, who actually wanted me,” Hadrian said, revealing more than he had before. “Why did he pick _them?_ Why not leave me in the magical world? I don’t ever want to go back to the muggle world!”

“Really, Hadrian?” Hermione asked. “You wouldn’t miss films and television and technology?”

“Nope,” Hadrian said. “I’ve never been to the cinema, and the only television I ever saw was when I was doing chores in the same room that my cousin was watching telly in. Technology is great, but magic is better. I know you have family to go back for, and that's great. But I don’t. I never want to see my muggle relatives again.”

* * *

Hadrian got a note at dinner asking him to go to the Headmaster’s office afterwards. He showed it to Malfoy, who said immediately, “Take Professor Snape with you.”

“How come?”

“Every student has the right to have their Head of House with them when they meet with the Headmaster. Father has made me swear to never be alone with Professor Dumbledore. And don’t look the Headmaster in the eye! Whatever you do!”

Hadrian made a note to himself to find out later why Malfoy and his father didn’t trust Dumbledore, but he approached Professor Snape as the meal ended and showed him the note.

“Will you accompany me, Sir?” he asked.

“Of course, Potter,” Snape said.

 

When they reached the Headmaster’s office, Dumbledore smiled genially, and said, “Thank you, Severus. You may go.”

Hadrian quickly looked up at Snape, but was relieved to see that his Head of House was making no sign of moving.

“I am here as Mr Potter’s Head of House,” he said, with a sneer. “What is the problem?”

“I understand there have been some altercations between Ron and Harry," Dumbledore said.

“Hadrian,” Hadrian said.

“Excuse me?”

“My name is Hadrian, not Harry. Though I prefer you to call me Mr Potter. Hadrian is for my friends,” Hadrian said.

“I’d like to think we’re friends, my dear boy,” the Headmaster said.

Hadrian reared back as if struck. “I’ve never even met you before!”

Snape stepped in here. “Headmaster, please come to the point.”

Dumbledore sighed, with a disappointed look. Hadrian thought Dumbledore might use that act to make people feel sorry for him, but it only made him suspicious. “The altercations. It is a shame to see a friendship end. Harry, don’t you think you can find it in your heart to forgive young Weasley?”

“No,” Hadrian said. “He has called me a slimy snake and said he couldn’t be friends with a Slytherin. I don’t see how a friendship can go forward from there.”

“Perhaps we could make an exception and allow you to be re-sorted.”

Hadrian stood up. “I. Am. A. Slytherin. Professor Snape...?"

“Mr Potter, go to your Common Room. I’ll handle this.”

Hadrian was happy to escape. But Dumbledore said, "Not just yet, if you please, Harry."

"I'm not Harry," Hadrian said. He didn't sit back down, but stood next to Professor Snape.

"I also understand you informed the Ministry about the Cerberus in the school."

"And if I did?" Hadrian said, chin high. He didn't want to get Neville or Draco in trouble.

"It was guarding a priceless artefact, my dear boy. The safeguards on that artefact are essential to the safety of the Wizarding World." Dumbledore said.

Hadrian didn't reply. He wasn't going to feel guilty about the hell beast being gone. As for the artefact, that was no concern of his.

"And Hagrid... you do understand that he was a close friend of your parents. The loss of his pet, followed by your cold treatment - both have hurt him deeply."

Hadrian felt an ache in his head, and remembered that Theo had warned him about looking someone in the eyes. Blaise had even asked if there was an anti-Legilimency charm for his glasses, but sadly, that didn't exist. He looked down and blinked a few times. "Headmaster... I'm really really scared of dogs," he said in a small quavery voice. Which was true, but he hadn't done the 'fake crying' routine since he'd arrived. It was a good way to get food off of strangers - pretend to be lost and hungry. He had to make sure he was a long way from Privet Drive, because Aunt Petunia wouldn't stand for it. But he'd been good at it.

He looked up, with his eyes full of tears, and a memory of one of the times Ripper had treed him in the front of his mind. 

And it seemed to have worked this time too. The Headmaster beamed. Harry looked down before his disgust could show. "Of course, Harry. We all have fears. I myself have a phobia of hummingbirds."

"May I go please?" Hadrian asked.

This time, he was permitted to go.

* * *

It was after First Year curfew, when a portrait in the Common Room spoke to him. "Mr Potter? Professor Snape would like a word."

"Thank you, Lady Elsbeth," Hadrian said. He went through the passage to Snape's office, and the door opened as he arrived.

"Tea?" Snape offered.

"Does it have caffeine?" Hadrian asked.

"No, it's an herbal infusion," Snape said. "I wouldn't give you a breakfast blend at this time of night."

"Then yes, please." It was the first time Snape had offered him tea, and he was pleasantly surprised at how nice it tasted. 

"Where did you get this? It's very good," Hadrian asked.

"The Forbidden Forest, mostly," Snape said.

"Your own blend?" Hadrian asked. "I'm honoured." He didn't know how much work it took to gather and dry enough herbs for tea, but Snape certainly couldn't serve it regularly. Snape gave a small smile.

"I need to warn you to be careful with the Headmaster," Snape said. "You did well at the end, to deflect his suspicion. But you were combative at first."

"I have reason," Hadrian said darkly. "He'd the one who left me on the Dursley's doorstep."

"The doorstep." Snape said, his expression blank.

"That's what Hagrid told me today. That I was left on the doorstep. Because the great man, Dumbledore, thought it was best to explain in a letter," Harry said bitterly. "No wonder she hated me. Can you imagine being told in a letter 'Dear Petunia, your sister is dead. Have a baby. I'll be back for it in a decade. Hugs and kisses, Dumbles.'"

Snape snorted in spite of himself. "You hated Dumbledore before today. You started to hate Hagrid today. You've always hated dogs, though the waterworks were fake. And you hate your muggle relations. Do I have the full list?"

"You forgot Ron Weasley. Other than that, I'm fine. I love magic, I love being a Slytherin, I have friends in all four houses. We're getting a study group set up. I can't fly, but Madam Pomfrey said it was okay if I played football - it's a muggle sport on the ground."

"I'm half-blood. I'm familiar with football," Snape said. "Just pick-up games? Nothing strenuous?"

"Yes. I already see some of the House Quidditch players practising at all hours. I know I don't want to do that. I don't know how I'd keep my grades up," Hadrian said. He sipped at his tea. "Professor, was it just me, or was he trying to get me to take an interest in the 'priceless artefact' that the Cerberus was guarding?"

"It was not just you," Snape said. "It seems suspicious that he would mention it to you."

"If that is suspicious, how suspicious is it that he had Hagrid retrieve a small item from Gringott's on the day that he took me to Diagon Alley?" Hadrian said.

Snape squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Hagrid. Hagrid took you to Diagon Alley."

"That's not who is supposed to do it?" Hadrian asked.

"For muggleborn or muggle-raised students, the names are divided among the Professors. Hagrid is a groundskeeper. He isn't even allowed to do magic."

"So... when he gave my cousin a pig tail... that was bad?" Hadrian asked.

"He gave. Your muggle cousin. A pig tail," Snape said. "Please tell me you mean the kind in one's hair and not a tail on his back end."

"His back end, I'm afraid," Hadrian said. "He was trying to turn him into a pig, because Dudley ate my birthday cake. The day I came to Hogwarts, my Aunt and Uncle were taking him to London to have it surgically removed."

"There are laws against muggle abuse. Any wix doing that to a muggle would be in trouble. The fact that it was a minor, makes it worse. The fact that it was a man who is not allowed to do magic..." Snape sighed. "It's been removed?"

"He was going to. I don't write them, but I assume it was successful. If it hadn't been, they probably would have written and demanded that something be done."

"Hadrian, I hate to say this, but I advise you not to report Hagrid."

"Because Hagrid is Dumbledore's man, and the Headmaster is too powerful," Hadrian said. "And Dumbledore already is suspicious of me. Is that it?"

"Exactly so."

"I won't pretend to be friends with Hagrid."

"I won't ask you to do that," Snape said. "Just don't accept any more invitations from Hagrid, and carry on focusing on schoolwork. Avoid any hints about the artefact in the third floor corridor - I don't know what will be put in the Cerberus's place, but I'm sure it will be just as dangerous - and if you are asked to see the Headmaster again, I will certainly accompany you. I don't like the games he's playing with you. Re-sorting after a fortnight indeed!" Re-sorting was only done in extreme cases, such as someone being unsafe in their original House. It certainly wasn't done because the Headmaster was disappointed about what House a child ended up in. Particularly when that child was thriving. He couldn't imagine how Hadrian would have fared if thrown to the lion's den. He would have been ripped to shreds.

Hadrian sipped at his tea, and set down his cup. "Professor, our inter-House study group would like to be able to practice potions outside of class. Do you have any advice?"

Severus took out a quill and began scribbling notes. "There are several potions labs in the castle that can be booked for extra study. You can practice ingredient preparation on your own. But if you plan to brew, you need someone from at least third year, who has an EE or above average to supervise, for safety purposes. No more than five students per supervisor. You will probably need to offer them favours or cash. If you wish to brew something that you haven't done in class, please check with me first." He handed the parchment to Hadrian, which had the rules written out on it, and directions to the student brewing labs.

"Thank you, Sir."

"You're welcome, Potter. Get back to your Common Room," Snape said. As he watched Potter leave, his hair pulled back into a neatly tamed ponytail, his clothing perfectly groomed, having just had a civil conversation with him about how to brew potions within the rules, he wondered if there was any James Potter in the boy at all.

* * *

 _(Note: I forgive Hagrid for the doorstep thing. Giant and half-giant babies can probably survive weeks on their own, and he is so emotionally dependant on Dumbledore, that the culpability lies there. But I don't expect Hadrian to ever forgive him. And poor Hagrid, who adores Harry, will never understand why._ 😭)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon!Wandlore: Wands cannot be repaired once broken, except by the Elder Wand.  
> canon!Hagrid: *flew to the hut on the rock to meet Harry*  
> canon!Hagrid: *starts a fire*  
> canon!Hagrid: *gives Dudley a pig's tail*  
> canon!Hagrid: *makes the boat go faster*  
> canon!Hagrid: *disapparates when Harry looks away*  
> Author: *looks pointedly at Dumbledore*  
> Author: You fixed his wand, didn't you? Rather than getting him a proper trial to prove his innocence so he could use magic openly?  
> Author: You are such a shitstain.


	5. Myrtle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween, and a troll.

The Inter-House study group began meeting the last week of September. They'd found a room near the library which everyone agreed was mid-way enough between the four Common Rooms, and Flitwick told them they were allowed to ask the Hogwarts house elves to help them get it cleaned and furnished. The elves had gone above and beyond, doing half the room in tables and chairs, and the other half in sofas and armchairs. They'd set up a bookshelf for the group to place shared books, and then the elves warded the room and gave them a portrait guardian, Queen Maeve. 

When they met to vote on group officers, Hadrian, mindful of his celebrity status, kept himself out of the running. They elected one person to be the leader for each House: Parvati Patil from Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom from Hufflepuff, Hermione Granger from Ravenclaw, and Draco Malfoy from Slytherin. Hermione was elected as the overall group leader, and seemed shocked at the group's regard.

"You did most of the work so far," Neville pointed out. "Don't think we haven't noticed."

* * *

Dora Tonks had volunteered to help them with potions, but Snape had flatly vetoed her on safety grounds. They hadn't found a Slytherin who was interested in doing it for cash - only for favours. Hadrian felt like he had enough outstanding, and didn't want to ask for any others. 

It was then that Parvati Patil said, "Well... I know Ronald Weasley is a prat, but George and Fred Weasley are actually kind. In their own trickster way. And they are both brilliant."

Malfoy pulled a face. "Weasleys? Must we?"

"We can do it on a trial basis," Hermione decided. "Then have a vote afterwards."

The Weasley twins were delighted to be approached for the job, and only too happy to have paying work. Professor Snape reluctantly approved them as supervisors, on the condition that they not use the time to create pranks. 

The first session turned out to be the most useful potions lesson Harry had ever had. Fred and George had come prepared to teach, not merely to supervise, and had gone around the room, assisting the firsties with their ingredient preparation, explaining how to clean a cauldron so that there was no residue from the previous potion, and discussing techniques for controlling heat, stirring, adding ingredients, and even decanting finished potions into vials.

After that, the vote was unanimous. The Weasley twins were hired, at a rate of 10 sickles an hour each. The club had a donation box for a treasury, and Hadrian had agreed to act as treasurer, as long as his name wasn't on any official club paperwork. The wealthier students made sure to put in more to cover the ones with less spending money, and the club officers made it clear that there would be no shaming over donations or lack thereof. So far, it looked like there would be plenty of money to cover having them in once a week, through the end of the year.

* * *

Millicent Bulstrode was one of the best in her year at Charms. Everyone had their strong and weak points in magic, and Millicent's strongest was her Charms work. It took a little encouragement from the other members of the study group for her to have the confidence to teach others, but after a few sessions in which she was able to improve both Neville Longbottom's and Greg Goyle's Charms work, she had felt on top of the world. 

The next day, in Charms class, once she floated her feather (a charm she'd mastered ages ago) she turned to helping her classmates. "That's almost right, Weasley, but you need to make the GAAAAR sound, nice and long, and give it more of a light flick at the end."

"Fine, you do it, if it's so easy!" he snarled.

Millicent refrained from rolling her eyes, and simply performed the spell, floating her feather just above eye level.

"Oh well done!" Flitwick said. "Everyone look, Miss Bulstrode has done it. Five points to Slytherin!"

"Bulstrode, could you show me?" Parvati Patil asked. She stepped over, and while she was helping Patil, the girl asked, "Where's Potter?"

"He got a pass from Professor Snape to miss class today. It's just a bit much to be out and about on 'Harry Potter Day'," Bulstrode whispered.

"Eww, I never thought. How awful for him. Is he going to miss dinner?"

"No, a house elf is going to feed him in the Common Room," Bulstrode said. "Can you imagine, having a feast to celebrate your parents' death?"

"What's that Bulstrode? Can't wait to get to the feast? Pig out some more?" Weasley sneered.

"If she gets any bigger, she'll be the size of a bull," McLaggan said.

"She's as ugly as one," Weasley said.

"Ignore them. Just ignore them. Stupid boys." Parvati said.

It wasn't that easy for Millicent. She'd been mocked for her weight all of her life. Wix burned calories to use magic, so it wasn't common to see an overweight witch or wizard. Being ugly on top of being fat made it even worse. The good feeling she had for earning points and helping her classmates evaporated, as she barely managed to keep her tears in check to the end of class.

Once the bell rang, she darted out, ignoring Pansy's call for her that she wasn't to go off alone - Slytherins were never to go off along - and she ran to the girls' toilet where she could let her tears flow in privacy.

* * *

A ghost sat on the floor next to her. "Was it bullies? Teachers? News from home? Or boys?"

"Boys," Millicent said. The ghost looked to be about fifth or sixth year. "Well, boy bullies, not boys I like. They called me fat and ugly. Weasley and McLaggan are the worst."

"They used to call me ugly too," the ghost said. "Olive Hornby made fun of my glasses and Lola Flint told me I'd never get married... and I never did!" the ghost started crying.

"What's your name?" Millicent asked.

"Myrtle Warren," the ghost said through her sobs.

"I'm Millicent Bulstrode," she said. "It's nice to meet you."

Myrtle looked at her suspiciously. "Do you really mean that? Or are you making fun of me?"

"I don't make fun of people," Millicent said indignantly. "Too many people have done that to me!"

"Oh... I thought you were. Living people do, you know. They don't use this toilet because of me. They call me Moping Myrtle. Moaning Myrtle.  Mourning Myrtle. Weeping Wailing Whining Myrtle."

"My sister taught me that name-calling is unkind, and boorish," Millicent said. "And besides, sometimes a person needs a good cry."

"THANK YOU!" Myrtle said. "Someone should tell the Grey Lady that! She is always telling me to get off my duff and do more around the castle, but it's only been fifty years since I died. I should be allowed to mourn myself as long as I need to!"

"Isn't that the Ravenclaw ghost?" Millicent asked. "Why would she try and tell you what to do?"

Myrtle sighed. "Because I was a Ravenclaw." She fiddled with her tie. "You can't tell, can you? It's just a plain grey tie. I might as well be unsorted."

"I'll remember," Millicent promised. "Ravenclaw Myrtle Warren, who died fifty years ago, and lives, er... haunts... the toilet on the second floor near Charms."

Myrtle tried to give Millicent a hug, which ended up just making Millicent very cold as Myrtle passed through her body. "You're so nice! Why didn't I have anyone nice like you to be friends with when I was alive?"

"I don't know? What was Hogwarts like when you were alive? Did Binns still teach History of Magic? Was Dumbledore Headmaster?"

"Oh Binns, yes, he was there. So boring! I know I shouldn't say that about a fellow ghost, but we all slept through his classes or studied other subjects. Dumbledore wasn't Headmaster. He was the Transfiguration professor. Flitwick was still Head of Ravenclaw. But if you want to know what it was like, all anyone cared about was Grindelwald. No one cared that the muggles were at war, or that my Mum could be killed by an air-raid or my Papa by a U-boat."

"I don't know what those things are," Millicent said. "I don't know much about muggle things at all. I never had muggleborn friends until this year."

* * *

 

At dinner, Neville came looking for Millicent, wanting to tell her how much better he had done in Charms today, but he couldn't find her.

“Oh, it was that horrible Weasley boy. She tried to help him in Charms, and he made fun of her, and she ran off," Pansy Parkinson said. "She ended up crying, and I was worried about her being alone, but then I heard her talking to someone in the toilet, so I left her to it."

 

Just then, Quirrell made a dramatic entrance. “Troll! Troll in the dungeons! I thought you should know!” and he fainted.

 

As the prefects were trying to line up students to lead them back to their common rooms, Neville clutched the arm of Gemma Farley, one of the Slytherin Prefects. “Millicent! She doesn’t know about the troll!”

“Where is she?” Fawley asked.

“Girls toilet near Charms,” Pansy said.

“Okay, back in line. I’ll tell the Professors,” Fawley said.

* * *

 

"Do you smell that?" Millicent asked.

"I can't smell things anymore!" Myrtle complained. "Not unless it's really strong... eww! Yes, I smell it!" And now they could hear large footsteps.

"What is it?"

"Get back, stand on the last toilet, wand out," Myrtle said. "If you see a chance, run. Remember I'm already dead."

Millicent did as she was told, thinking under her breath,  _keep going, keep going, keep going..._ The thought of being trapped in a dead end room with a monster was terrifying. It was her wand and her Charms and whatever Myrtle thought she could do. And just as she thought that, Myrtle dove into the toilet next to her, leaving her utterly alone. 

_But... I thought we were friends..._

Water started flooding out everywhere, and then Myrtle flew out again, larger and angrier, and colder, and the water, which was several inches deep by this point, froze solid. An angry roar came from the corridor, and then after two more steps, there was a massive crash. Myrtle flew out through the door, then came back in.

"It's a troll! But it's down now. It knocked its head pretty hard when it fell," Myrtle said.

* * *

 

It wasn’t until after curfew that Professor Sprout pulled Neville aside and told him that Millicent was perfectly fine, and that both he and Pansy had earned 10 points for quick thinking and going for help. “I’m just glad you didn’t do the Gryffindor thing and go after the troll yourself.”

Neville was horrified. “Two first years? Go after a troll?”

 

Hadrian, Neville, and Hermione had breakfast at the Slytherin table, and everyone agreed that Weasley was a total prat. “You must have been terrified,” Hadrian said.

“I was! I was so glad when Sprout and Flitwick burst in! Myrtle was the real hero though. I would have been dead without her," Millicent said.

"She sounds pretty awesome," Hadrian said. "Maybe you can take us to meet her."

"We can't!" Neville said, horrified. "It's a _girls' toilet_!"

"I'll ask her to come out," Millicent said. "She isn't trapped there."

Hadrian, Neville, Hermione, and Pansy went with Millicent to thank Myrtle. The ghost preened under the praise, and was so proud to be lauded as a hero. "I would have shared my toilet with you, if you'd died. It would have been like being in the dorm again. Except you're nicer than Olive Hornby."

"Er... thank you Myrtle," Millicent said.

"When did you die?" Hermione asked. "If it's not rude to ask?"

"Oh, it was about fifty years ago, during the Second Great War. Not that anyone here cared about that. All they thought about was Grindelwald Grindelwald Grindelwald. And my Papa was on a Royal Navy destroyer. It was impossible to get any news from the muggle world, and Mum didn't want owls flying home, for fear it would look to the neighbours like she was a spy. Her mother was German, you see. My Grandpa met her during the First Great War, and brought her home," Myrtle prattled on.

The three children sat in the bathroom listening to her. Of course World War II was well known to Hadrian and Hermione, but to Neville, Pansy, and Millicent, it was all new information.

"The muggles had a war the same time as the wizards?" Neville asked.

"Oh yes," Hermione said. "It was far deadlier. They have weapons that can kill entire cities."

Neville gulped. "That's impossible!"

"It's not," said Hadrian. "Those weapons are so scary that if everyone used their weapons, there wouldn't be anyone left alive, wix or muggle or creature. No one." 

"Is... is that why You-Know-Who wants to kill all the muggles?" Pansy asked.

"He _can't_ kill all the muggles. There are too many of them," Myrtle said. "There are over two billion muggles in the world. There are ten thousand of them for every one magical."

"There are more than that now," Hermione said. "About five billion."

"Point stands. With a wand, you can kill a lot of muggles, but you can't kill ten thousand of them," Myrtle said. "Muggles can wipe magicals out, magicals can never wipe out muggles."

"Did you get to see your parents after you died?" Hadrian asked.

"No," Myrtle said. "Muggles can't see ghosts. Mum came and got my body. Papa was still at sea. I don't even know if he survived the war or not."

"Well that won't do!" Hermione said. "We can find out for you!"

"Really?" Myrtle said. "You can do that?"

"How can we do that? The Ministry won't have records of muggles," Millicent said.

"The Ministry of  _Magic_ won't," Hermione said. "But the muggles have their own records. It might take a while, but I'm sure we can find out!"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon!Ron: She's a nightmare, honestly.  
> canon!Ron: She must've noticed she's got no friends.  
> canon!Hermione: *crying in the bathroom*  
> canon!Hermione: *nearly killed by a troll*  
> canon!Hermione: I am now friends with Ron.  
> canon!Hermione: I will do all of his homework and put up with his emotional abuse for the next 7 books.  
> canon!Ron: Don't forget the epilogue! It's going to be so adorable telling our kids how much I used to bully you!  
> canon!Hermione: I've been playing the long game. Now that I'm Minister for Magic, I'm going to send you to negotiate with the trolls. Only oops, you accidentally packed one of your brothers prank wands in your sheath and left your real one at home.... ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	6. Quidditch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bludgers are scary.

Myrtle's heroism wasn't the only gossip after Halloween. Professor Snape came to class with his arm in a sling, and they had lectures only all week until his arm had recovered. He didn't trust the dunderheads to brew if he didn't have his wand hand free. He wouldn't tell any of his Slytherins what had happened to him, and the wording he used made them thing he wasn't  _allowed_ to tell them. 

"It's a lip-locker curse," Adrian Pucey said. "You could see he wanted to say something, and couldn't."

"A lip-locker is Dark Magic, Pucey," said Marcus Flint. "Who could do that within Hogwarts without getting caught?"

"Who do you think?" Gemma Farley said darkly. "Who can do  _anything_ in Hogwarts without getting caught?"

* * *

The first Quidditch match of the season was approaching: Gryffindor vs Slytherin. Despite all the urging of the Weasley twins, the Slytherin members of the Study Group were rooting for their own team. 

"But come on... who taught you about dandelion roots? Was it Cassius Warrington?" George wheedled.

"Was it Lucian Bole?" Fred asked.

"We'll cheer for you when you play Ravenclaw," Hadrian said.

"Speak for yourself!" Padma Patil huffed.

The Weasleys did manage to convince the non-Slytherin members of the group to sit in the Gryffindor section, and even wear transfigured scarves in red and gold for the occasion. Even Hermione went, though she took a book with her.

Hadrian was thrilled to watch his first Quidditch match. Even though he couldn't fly yet, he wanted to so badly. Watching the game though - it looked like a pretty scary sport! Those bludgers were brutal! 

"How come our team is all boys and the Gryffindors is half and half?" Hadrian asked Draco.

"There's a rumour that Marcus Flint won't take girls on the team, but that's not true. Professor Snape would never allow that. And Flint's not that type anyway," Pansy Parkinson said. 

"Flint wants to win. He wouldn't turn down a team member who would get him the Cup, no matter what parts they had," Draco said. 

"Quidditch is bloody dangerous," Gemma Farley said. "It takes a certain amount of bravado to face it, either male bravado or Gryffindor bravado."

"So, basically, Slytherin girls are too smart to play, but Slytherin boys have too much testosterone to resist?" Hadrian asked.

"What's testosterone?" asked Sylvia Melville.

"Er... a chemical in the body, that makes boys different from girls. Girls have one called oestrogen," Hadrian said.

"Is that a muggle thing?" Gemma asked.

"I... don't know," Hadrian said. Did magicals have different hormones? "Maybe Madam Pomfrey would know."

"Oh oh! The snitch!" Draco shouted. Terrence Higgs and Anjali Kapoor were diving for it, but Higgs was ahead. Then they both had to scatter to avoid a bludger knocked expertly by one of the Weasley twins, and the snitch got away. 

"Is that a foul?" Hadrian asked.

"Nah, part of the game," Millicent said.

A few minutes later, there was excitement they hadn't expected. Hadrian had finally stopped ducking whenever a bludger was hit towards the stands, and begun trusting the magical barriers that were protecting the audience from the bludgers, quaffle, and broomsticks. The barrier made any projectile bounce back into the pitch, but in an unpredictable direction, so that players wouldn't use the barrier as a strategy. It was too likely to backfire on them. 

Hadrian had his eyes on the snitch (or rather, the players chasing the snitch - his eyes weren't quite good enough to follow the tiny golden ball - when a bludger was hit towards the Slytherin stands. He first heard the entire crowd gasp and scream, then he heard a sound like a firework exploding, and then there were iron pellets spraying down over the stands.

"What happened?" he asked. His arm was hurting, and he realised it was because Draco was clutching it so hard it was cutting off circulation.

"The barrier failed," Pansy said. "It was headed straight towards us!"

"Snape saved us," Millicent said.

Their professor was standing up in the row behind them, his wand outstretched. Then Madam Hooch waved her own wand in an odd movement that made all four balls suddenly fall to the ground. The game was over.

* * *

 

Madam Hooch announced that the match would have to be rescheduled. There was some grumbling from the Gryffindors, who had been ahead by 30 points, that they should restart the next game with the current game's score. But mostly everyone was relieved that no one had been hurt. Fred in particular, who had been the one to hit the bludger that got through, was sick with the thought of what could have been.

"I could have hurt someone - or killed them!" he said, back in the Gryffindor Common Room, after Madam Pomfrey gave him a Calming Draught. At least the players in the air had helmets and leathers, as well as broomsticks to dodge the bludgers. 

"No great loss," Ron said. "One less snake, amirite?" 

George put a hand to Fred to keep him from launching himself at Ron. "Let Percy handle it," George said in a low voice. "He's got the shiny badge for a reason."

Percy grabbed the neck of Ron's robes as if he were a wayward kitten. "Let's go. We're going to visit Professor McGonagall."

* * *

The next morning, the study group was mostly at the Hufflepuff table when the owls arrived. 

"Oooh... Someone's got a Howler!" Parvati Patil said in a sing-song voice. "Betcha I know who."

"What's a Howler?" Hermione asked. But the question was answered for her, as soon a woman's voice was heard shouting through the Great Hall.

"RON WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU! YOUR FATHER AND I RAISED YOU BETTER THAN THIS! TO THINK I HAD TO HEAR FROM PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ACTING AS A BULLY TO OTHER STUDENTS JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR SORTING! THEN TO HEAR YOU SAYING 'NO GREAT LOSS' IF A STUDENT HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED IN YESTERDAY'S QUIDDITCH ACCIDENT! I NEARLY DIED OF SHAME! NOT EVEN THE TWINS HAVE MADE ME FEEL ASHAMED TO BE A MOTHER! I DON'T KNOW WHAT DISGUSTING THOUGHTS ARE GOING ON IN YOUR MIND, BUT YOU HAD BEST STOP ACTING ON THEM! IF YOU PUT ONE MORE TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME FOR GOOD!"

"Oh. _That's_ a Howler," said Hadrian faintly, his ears ringing. Like everyone else in the room, he had turned to watch Ron Weasley during his mother's tirade, and seen him turn redder and redder and slink down until he was nearly under the table. 

"Think that will stop him?" Neville asked.

"It's only the first step," Parvati said, always up to date on the Gryffindor news. "Percy says his parents _were_ planning to go to Romania for a holiday and leaving the boys at Hogwarts, but after meeting with McGonagall and hearing everything that's been going on with Ron, they've decided to postpone their trip until Easter so they can have parental time with their youngest son."

* * *

All anyone around Hogwarts could talk about was the Quidditch mishap and the Howler. There was supposed to be another game before the Christmas break, but Madam Hooch flatly refused until a certified Warder came in and went over the barrier.

"But how did the barrier fail?" Hermione asked. "I can't find anything in  _Quidditch Through the Ages_ about how they work."

"Of course you won't," Draco said. "Imagine if anyone could find out how they worked in the most commonly read Quidditch book. People would be interfering with barriers to try to make an advantage for their team. It's bound to be top secret spellwork."

"Then how did it fail?"

"Someone made it fail," Pansy said. "Someone wanted to kill Millicent."

"Me?" Millicent said.

"First the troll. Now the bludger," Pansy said. "You're the target."

"But... The Bulstrode fortune isn't huge, and I'm not even an Heir!" Millicent said. "Are you sure I wasn't just in the way, and someone else is the target?"

"Snape," Hadrian said.

"You think Snape did it?" Neville said.

"No! I think Snape's the target. He was sitting just above us. And when the troll came, whoever let it in might have thought it'd get him first. Remember, it was in the dungeons? If Snape had been leading us down there, he'd have stood between us and the troll."

"Pfft. No one with any brains could think you could take out _our_ Professor Snape with a troll. You'd need at least  _twelve_  trolls," Millicent said. 

"Maybe they don't have any brains!" Hadrian said.

"It is kind of a haphazard method of assassination, whoever their target is," Hermione mused. "I hope they won't try again."

* * *

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon!Quidditch: Bludgers are 10" diameter solid iron balls  
> canon!Quidditch: This would make a bludger 149 pounds  
> canon!Quidditch: There are two bludgers flying around trying to hit players  
> canon!Quidditch: There is no mention of how spectators are kept safe from bludgers  
> canon!Quidditch: There is no way to end a game when equipment is malfunctioning without one team forfeiting  
> canon!Quidditch: Dark creatures invading the pitch and attacking a player is no reason to nullify and replay a game


	7. Lady Longbottom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas break begins

As Christmas approached, several people invited Hadrian to spend the holidays with them. Hadrian went to see Professor Snape for advice.

“I’ve been invited by Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, and Theo Nott,” he said. “I don’t know whose invitation to accept without hurting feelings or snubbing someone.”

“Theo Nott didn’t invite you personally, did he?” Snape asked.

“No, it was an owl from his father,” Hadrian said.

“I would advise you to avoid going to the Nott household. Thaddeus Nott is a dangerous man, as well as a supporter of the Dark Lord. He has a dark reputation, and I doubt his son will ever invite you of his own accord,” Snape said.

“Understood,” Hadrian said.

“Neville Longbottom seems to be a close friend of yours, and his grandmother is firmly on the side of the Light, politically. No one could have a problem with you spending time with him.”

Hadrian understood what he meant there too. Dumbledore.

“Draco Malfoy's friendship will be tarnished by his father. Draco’s father was acquitted of serving the Dark Lord due to being under the Imperius curse, but there are those who find this a convenient fiction. I think it might be best to spend the holiday with Longbottom and perhaps visit Malfoy for an afternoon or evening during the holidays. Explain to him, and his parents privately that it is for political reasons, and they will understand.”

“Thank you, Sir. You’ve helped me a lot this term,” Hadrian said.

“And you, Mr Potter, have not been what I expected. Have a restful break," Professor Snape said.

* * *

Neville's second trip on the Hogwarts Express was so much more fun than his first one. George Weasley had transfigured a proper travelling terrarium for Trevor that was moderately escape-proof, and he had more friends than would fit in a single compartment. The Study Group was spread across three compartments, with people (mostly the talkative ones like Parvati and Pansy) darting between compartments to chat. Hermione, Theo, and Padma were off in one corner with books. Draco was holding court amongst the Slytherins. Neville and Hadrian played Exploding Snap and Gobstones with other students, until about midway through the trip, when Hadrian started to get nervous.

"What if she doesn't like me?" Hadrian said quietly.

"Why wouldn't she like you? Everyone likes you," Neville said.

"Not everyone," Hadrian said, his shoulders slumping.

"Shoulders back," Draco said. "Sit up straight. You are a wizard and a Slytherin. You're the heir of a magical tradition going back to Hecate and Dionysus. Your muggles may not have appreciated it, but Lady Longbottom does."

"Thanks, Draco," Hadrian said with a weak smile. 

* * *

As they approached Kings Cross, Hadrian changed into one of his nicer robes, and let Blaise do his grooming charms. (He'd learned them by now, but Blaise was much better at them, and he wanted to make a good impression.) Pansy neatened his hair tie for him at the last minute. On the platform, he let his friends introduce him to their parents, bowing correctly, or kissing hands, at each introduction, according to his etiquette lessons. Each introduction was nerve-wracking, but at the same time, as he fell back on his lessons, making small talk about approved subject (Yes, everyone agreed the weather was dismal and looked like rain, but at least it wasn't snow like it was up in Scotland; I love Hogwarts castle, especially the Slytherin Common Rooms under the Black Lake; Your child and I are in a Study Group together - no it isn't a problem that we're in different Houses - in fact, we love how it gives us different perspectives; etc) and his confidence improved as he realised that the scripts he'd practised with Draco were working perfectly.

Finally, Neville led him over to a formidable looking witch in old fashioned robes and a hat with a dead vulture on it. 

"Gran, this is my friend, Hadrian Potter. Hadrian, my grandmother, Lady Longbottom," Neville said.

Hadrian kissed the air above her knuckle. "It is an honour to meet you, my Lady."

"Hmph... Neville has written a lot about you, but he didn't tell me you were so small," Neville's Gran said.

Hadrian blinked. She had gone off script, and he didn't know how to respond to that statement. "Er... I'm sorry?"

She took a tatty and worn out quill out of her red handbag and held it out. "Have you ever travelled by portkey before, Mr Potter?"

"No, ma'am," Hadrian said.

"We need to all three be touching the quill, at the same time. One of our house-elves will come for the luggage," she said.

Hadrian obediently put a finger onto the quill. Suddenly there was a giant hook behind his naval, and he felt as if he were whirling rapidly before he, Neville, and Lady Longbottom arrived in a marble entrance hall. Hadrian tumbled and landed on his hands and knees, but the other two seemed accustomed to this awful method of travel - both landed on their feet. Neville reached down and helped Hadrian up. 

"Welcome to Longbottom Manor," Neville said.

"Neville, show Mr Potter to his rooms, and we'll have supper in half an hour," Lady Longbottom said.

"Yes, Gran." He led Hadrian up the stairs, while Hadrian was pondering the word 'rooms' in his mind. But it seemed that the plural was exactly right. He was given a suite of rooms - a bedroom, sitting room, and bathroom all to himself. His trunk was waiting for him at the foot of the bed. He washed his hands and face, then checked his appearance in the mirror (the mirror told him he had a scar on his head that he might want to get removed - if only!) and then went to unpack, only to find that all of his clothes had been placed in the wardrobe already. He didn't see the Christmas presents he had packed for Neville and his family, but he couldn't imagine the house elves would misplace them.

When Hadrian stepped back out into the hall, he found Neville waiting for him. "I don't think you'll get lost. Our Manor isn't the size of the Malfoy's or anything. And anyway, you're used to navigating Hogwarts. But I thought I'd wait and show you around."

"It's much bigger than my Aunt and Uncle's place. They'd die of envy," Hadrian said, with a vindictive smirk. "Where's your room?"

"Oh, down the very end of this hall. See the portrait of the two ladies, one in yellow, and one in green? That's Lady Ida and Lady Drucilla, my great-great-grandmothers. My door is to the right of them," Neville said. "Now back down the stairs, is the entrance hall. It's the only room you can Apparate or Floo or Portkey into, and only then if you are keyed into the wards. Through the arch is the main parlour where -"

"Oooh!" Hadrian gasped. It was all decorated for Christmas, and it made his heart leap. It was so much more beautiful than anything Aunt Petunia had ever done, with her sterile, store-bought Christmases. More accessible than the massive trees in the Great Hall at Hogwarts with their magical baubles. It was a simple, six foot tree, with ornaments all over it that were partially magical and partially hand-made. There was garland made of cranberries, popcorn, cinnamon, and dried fruit slices. Under the tree were piles of presents, including, he was happy to see, the ones he had brought - unshrunk and tucked in nooks around the tree. "It's beautiful!"

Neville shuffled his feet. "It's nothing special. Gran keeps putting out the ornaments I made when I was four." He pointed to some tattered origami birds. "There's even some my Dad made when he was little. He looked around until he found a round clay disk with a badly painted snowflake on it. On the back was written 'Frank Long Age 6'. 

"Frank Long?"

"Gran told me he went through a phase where he was getting teased for his name, so he wanted to change it to 'Long' instead of 'Longbottom'. His tutors wouldn't let him do it for schoolwork, but he did it for everything else."

"When did he stop?" Hadrian asked.

"Uncle Algie started calling him Longfundament, Longbutt, Longbackside, Longbum... and so on. A new one every day, until he finally screamed 'It's Longbottom!'" Neville smiled a little sadly. 

"I look forward to meeting him," Hadrian said.

"Uncle Algie?" Neville said.

"Your Dad. Well, and your Mum." Hadrian thought Uncle Algie sounded like a bully. Especially the part where he hung Neville out the window to make him show his magic.

"Hadrian, you know..." Neville said. "My parents..."

"I know. You told me. They're disabled. They're still _people_. They're still your parents," Hadrian said. 

* * *

Hadrian was glad that Uncle Algie did not seem to in attendance, at least for supper. It was simply Lady Longbottom and the two boys, and a meal that the house elves made of Neville's favourites to welcome him home. Though treacle tart made its way onto the table at dessert, and Hadrian knew Neville didn't eat that. 

Lady Longbottom was rather overbearing. She kept asking about Hadrian's sorting, and talking about his parents, and Neville's father being Gryffindors. After a few minutes of this, Hadrian had had enough.

"If you please, ma'am, the two biggest bullies in our year are Gryffindors, and I'm glad Neville and I don't share a room with them. Gryffindor has good qualities, and both of us have friends from there, but it wouldn't be the right House for either of us. To be honest, ma'am, if I couldn't be a Slytherin, my second choice would be Hufflepuff. It's an amazing House full of good people, and Neville is lucky to be sorted there," Hadrian said.

It was the most he'd said to her yet, and he was half expecting to be thrown out. But she simply looked him over and said. "I suppose," and then, "And what do you think of Ravenclaw?"

"The 'Claws are alright. I like their Common Room and their library," Hadrian said. "They'd have been my third choice." He tilted his head. "What House were you in, ma'am?"

"I was a Ravenclaw," she said, after a dignified pause.

Neville dropped his fork and stared at his grandmother. "A Ravenclaw?!"

Hadrian pretended not to notice. "So Neville has three of the great Houses in his lineages. Is there any Slytherin in the Longbottom ancestry?"

"Only a bit on the Longbottom side, but there is a fair amount of Slytherin in his mother's side," Lady Longbottom said. 

"I hope you don't buy into that silly nonsense about all Slytherins being evil," Hadrian said. "I can assure you, we like Quidditch, football, and exploding snap just as much as any other kids our age."

"Football? Isn't that a muggle sport?" Lady Longbottom asked.

Hadrian went blank for the first time. "I'm not permitted to fly, for health reasons. But Madam Pomfrey says I can play football. It isn't serious - just pick-up games, but it's something active to do."

"What's wrong with your health?" Lady Longbottom asked. "Does it have anything to do with why you're so small?"

Hadrian's mask was fully up by now. "Poor nutrition during my formative years. May I be excused?"

* * *

"Gran?!" Neville demanded, after Hadrian left. "Why did you pry?"

"Where does he live?" Lady Longbottom asked.

"With his muggle aunt and uncle," Neville said. "They don't like magic."

"I see," she said, with an air of displeasure. Neville had a sudden feeling that he didn't want to be Hadrian's Aunt or Uncle when his Gran got to them.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Petunia's recipe for a perfect Christmas:  
> 1\. Perfect artificial tree with artificial snow.  
> 2\. All matching store bought ornaments, usually with a theme. This year the tree has all white lights and blue ornaments.  
> 3\. Petunia purchases coordinating wrapping paper and gift bags, re-wraps gifts given by others so that they won't clash. Vernon and Dudley are not allowed to wrap presents because they don't do it neatly enough. Grumble that the boy isn't here to help with the wrapping.  
> 4\. Exterior lights, only slightly more ostentatious than the neighbours. Just enough to prove superiority, but not enough to look abnormal. Complain that the Freak isn't here to climb the ladder and connect the lights.  
> 5\. Any ornaments that Duddikins makes in school get placed on a special shelf in the kitchen, nowhere near the perfection of the tree. Sneer that at least the Freak isn't bringing his awful ornaments home to put in the bin.  
> 6\. New clothes for everyone that matches this year's theme. Perfect family portrait taken in front of the perfect tree. At least you don't have to lock the boy up when the photographer is here.  
> 7\. Complain that the Freak isn't here to peel potatoes and carrots.  
> 8\. Be grateful that the boy isn't around to need to be locked up during the Christmas festivities, then complain that he isn't around to do cleanup after Christmas dinner.  
> 9\. Whinge that the charity shops won't take your used Christmas tree and ornaments the first week of January when you are ready to throw them out, and that you have to actually nag Vernon to take them to the tip. No, of course you won't be reusing them. Next year's theme will be totally different!


	8. Mr Tonks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hadrian takes legal advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: references to canon child abuse and neglect
> 
> 1\. I am not a lawyer in any jurisdiction, and any lawyerbabble I have come up with is purely derived from television and fiction. Do not attempt at home.  
> 2\. I am not trained in dealing with child abuse. Neither is Mr Tonks. Expect mistakes. :(

The first two days of holiday, Neville and Hadrian completed their homework, and the Ladies Ida and Drucilla checked over it for them. Hadrian was amazed to find out that they were actually married to one another - something he found out when he asked why their husbands weren't in the portrait with them. He turned red at his faux-pas, and apologised. 

"You can't be muggle-born with a name like Potter," Lady Ida said.

"I'm muggle-raised, ma'am," Hadrian said. 

"That explains it. Muggles have such strange ideas about men and women," Lady Drucilla said. 

"So if two witches can get married, does that mean two wizards can be too?" Hadrian asked, feeling his heart pounding. Aunt Petunia had never allowed mention of Those People in her house, for fear it would contaminate her precious Dudders. Any news of the AIDS epidemic caused the channel to be changed. 

"Oh yes. Two witches, two wizards, triad marriages - all are acceptable, as long as everyone consents," said Lady Drucilla.

"But how did you have children?" Hadrian said.

Neville covered his face. "Oh no..."

"Young man, that is not an appropriate question to ask someone! There are numerous ways to make a family, and you will probably be learning about them in school, but it's no one's business except the immediate family's which method is chosen," Lady Ida said sharply. 

Hadrian apologised again, and Lady Ida accepted, a little stiffly. Lady Drucilla only said, "You misspelled Galanthus Nivalis three different ways in your potions essay." 

* * *

The third day of the break, Hadrian made arrangements to floo over to the Tonks residence to meet with Dora's father, the lawyer.

Mrs Tonks was an aristocratic looking woman with a pixie cut, chunky glasses, and stylish muggle clothes. Mr Tonks was a fair-haired man with a large belly and a pleasant voice. Dora greeted Hadrian boisterously, gave him a hug after introducing him to her parents, and then headed out through the floo with her broomstick. Mr Tonks led Hadrian through to his study. 

"Thank you for meeting with me, Mr Tonks," Hadrian said. 

"I'm afraid I don't have good news for you," Mr Tonks said. "What we are about to discuss will fall under lawyer-client confidentiality rules." He waved his wand around the room, and Hadrian could feel a squeeze of magic, which he thought must be a secrecy ward. "Do you know what a magical guardian is?"

"Like a liaison for muggleborns... oh shit..." Hadrian was not given to swearing. "I have one, and it's Dumbledore, isn't it?"

"Your guardians are muggles, so you have a magical guardian, and yes, it's Albus Dumbledore," Mr Tonks said, not even blinking at Hadrian's language.

"Can I change it?" Hadrian asked.

"In theory, yes. You would apply to the Ministry for a change of guardian. In practice..."

"Dumbledore is treated as the second coming of Merlin, and gets whatever he wants," Hadrian said with a sigh. "Go ahead, tell me how bad it is."

"Your magical guardian is responsible for approving any contracts, which would include the 'Harry Potter Adventure' books. He signed off on those. The money is going into your Gringott's account - aside from a percentage to the publishers and the ghost writer, however, as everything in the contract seems to be reasonable, there is no grounds for you to contest it."

"So the fact that I hate the publicity doesn't count," Hadrian said.

"Legally, it does not. In fact, from a legal point of view, you are not ordinarily permitted to take legal action without your magical guardian's authorisation," Mr Tonks said.

Hadrian's heart sank. "So I shouldn't even be talking to you?"

"You are taking advice at this point, not filing court actions," Mr Tonks said. "If anyone asks, you're just visiting your cousin's family for the holidays. Now if I'm going to advise you properly, you should tell me what you most want to achieve. Take your time."

Hadrian closed his eyes for a moment and thought. Nearly everything he could think of was something he _didn't_ want.  _I don't want to be the Boy-Who-Lived. I don't want Dumbledore to have control over me. I don't want to go back to the Dursley's._ After a moment, he opened his eyes.

"Freedom."

Mr Tonks nodded seriously, and wrote it down. "Emancipation is something you can attempt, but not until you are older. The Ministry will not allow an 11 year old to be an emancipated minor. It would be unlikely to be considered earlier than age 14, and more likely to be successful at age 15. What would you use your freedom for?"

"So I wouldn't have to live with the Dursleys. So I wouldn't have to do what Dumbledore says. So I could stop people treating me as a hero," Hadrian said.

"How do the Dursleys treat you?" Mr Tonks asked.

"They hate me," Hadrian said. "They hate magic. I just wish I never had to see them again."

"Hadrian, how do they treat you?" Mr Tonks asked again, in a gentle voice.

"They call me Freak or Boy," Hadrian said in a monotone voice. "They tell everyone I was a delinquent. My co - Dudley - he beats me up. A lot. They never stop him. They don't let me sit at the table and eat. I have to eat leftovers. If I get anything. Madam Pomfrey has me on nutrition potions and she banned me from flying."

"Hadrian, if you could live anywhere you wanted in the summer months, where would you choose?"

"Anywhere," he said. "Anywhere but the Dursleys."

"What if it was with Dumbledore?" Mr Tonks asked.

Hadrian suddenly jerked up and looked Mr Tonks in the eyes. "Never mind. I'd stay with the Dursleys."

"What is happening to you is not okay, Hadrian. I want you to know that. It's not okay for adults to treat you the way they do. It's not okay for Dumbledore to play with your life the way he does. It's not okay for you to be starved or hit or not given love," Mr Tonks said.

"But... I'm a burden. They had to take me in and they didn't want me..." Hadrian said.

"No, you're not a burden. If anyone takes in a child, it's their responsibility to love them, whether it's their biological child or foster child. If they can't do that, they should have said so, and told Dumbledore to find someone else. There is always someone who will take in a magical child. You should never have been placed with muggles unless they were family who already loved you."

Hadrian sort of crumpled, and Mr Tonks said softly, "Can I give you a hug?" When Hadrian looked up with wet eyes, Mr Tonks hugged him, and then pulled him into his lap. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I'm going to find a way to make sure you never go back there."

* * *

It was late in the day before Hadrian got back to Longbottom Manor. Dora had insisted he stay for supper, after she got back from wherever she'd gone for the day, and Mrs Tonks had reinforced it, saying that it would be nice having even numbers of Slytherins and Hufflepuffs at the table. 

"Oh, Hadrian is a Slytherpuff - he's in the Badger Sett all the time," Dora said. 

"Only because the Snake Pit doesn't allow visitors," Hadrian said. "It's kind of dumb. I have friends in all the Houses."

"Are you happy in Slytherin?" Mrs Tonks asked.

Hadrian lit up. "I love it! I kind of miss seeing the sun out our windows, but getting to see the fish and merfolk and the Giant Squid is pretty awesome. And the upper years are so protective of us younger ones in the corridors - well, we're all protective of each other. Only Hufflepuff is as good at looking out for its Housemates. We have a couple of boys in our year that I think have learning difficulties, and we all pitch in to help them. Greg has trouble reading, but he understands everything fine if he hears it, so we take turns reading the material aloud to him. There's a spell that can read aloud as well, but it kind of sounds like a robot, so it works better if it's a person reading it. And Professor Snape got him a quill that writes his essays for him if he talks to it."

"Is he allowed to use it during tests?" Dora asked.

"Yes, but the Professors have to put up a silencing bubble around him, so it doesn't disturb anyone else," Hadrian said. "And not every Professor lets him use it, but Professor Snape is fighting hard to make it a rule for every class. And he's probably not the only one who needs it. Just the worst."

"It's been an ongoing fight at Hogwarts," Mr Tonks said. "Students with disabilities, physical and mental. There was a student who wanted to start this year, but couldn't, because of all of the stairs. Dumbledore refused to allow changes to the castle enchantments."

"What happened to that student?" Hadrian asked.

"They are taking a homeschooling year this year, focusing on learning French, and they intend to start at Beauxbatons, the French magic school, next year," Mr Tonks said. "By the way, Hadrian, do you know French?"

"No," Hadrian said.

"It might be something to consider," Mr Tonks said. "Options are always nice to have."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon!Bellatrix: *is a famous insane Death Eater, known for torture and murder*  
> Canon!Andromeda: *Looks very like her sister, but married a muggleborn*  
> Canon!Andromeda: *Only difference is hair colour and kinder eyes*  
> Andromeda: Wait wait wait, why did I put up with this?  
> Andromeda: I have access to the muggle world. I can change the fuck out of my appearance.  
> Andromeda: *gets a designer makeover*  
> Andromeda: *rocks that super stylish pixie cut*  
> Andromeda: *doesn't actually need glasses, but loves the look of the chunky cat eye frames*  
> Andromeda: *wears stylish muggle clothes exclusively*  
> Andromeda: No one has mistaken me for my sister since her arrest. Because I _don't let them._


	9. St Mungo's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hadrian meets Neville's parents. 
> 
> CW: mention of off-screen infanticide, on-screen carer mistreatment

"Neville," a gentle voice said. "Wake up, Neville."

"G'ma Ida?" he mumbled. It wasn't often that his great-great-grandmothers moved from their portrait in the corridor to the frame in his bedroom without being invited - not since his sixth birthday when Gran said he was old enough not to need a portrait sitter. "What's wrong?" Then he sat up, suddenly wide awake. "Is it Gran?"

"No, duckie. It's your friend. He's having a nightmare. Michael and Gita can't wake him." His great-grandparents. 

Neville climbed out of bed, taking time to put on slippers, but not bothering with a dressing gown. It was cold with the fires banked, but he knew all about nightmares. 

" _Lumos_ ," he whispered. It was such a dim light compared to what the other Hogwarts students could do, but it was enough to take him down the familiar hallway, with Grandma Ida following him through the portraits as she tried not to awaken their painted occupants. When he reached Hadrian's room, he could hear the sounds of distress. He opened the door, and was surprised to see a nightlight charm floating above the bed, glowing softly blue. He climbed up onto the bed. 

"Hadrian. Hadrian, wake up. It's just a dream," Neville said. When that didn't have an effect, he reached out to shake his friend's shoulder. Hadrian woke instantly, flinching backwards, eyes wide open.

"Sorry, sorry..." Hadrian was saying. Just as Neville said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Once Hadrian got his breath, he said, "Just a nightmare."

"Yeah. I get them," Neville said. "They keep telling me it's not possible for me to remember what happened. But I do. I see red light. I hear screaming. And a woman laughing."

"For me it's green light. And a man laughing," Hadrian whispers. "The other nightmare is just dark and cold and hunger." Neville glanced up at the nightlight. "Yeah. I have it inside my curtains at school. I guess I... can't use it back at the Dursleys. But there's electricity and street lights. I have a bedroom with windows now, and a proper duvet, so it won't be as bad."

"Do you want me to stay?" Neville asked.

Hadrian nodded, and pulled back the blankets, and Neville kicked off his slippers and curled up underneath. 

* * *

The next morning, they got dressed up and went through the floo to St Mungo's visitor reception. Lady Longbottom did not bother getting in the queue. She and Neville seemed to know exactly where they were going. 

Neville was carrying a flowering plant he had cultivated over the school term. Hadrian had his own gifts in a bag with him, shrunken by the house elves for easy transport. He was getting nervous now that it was getting time to meet them. He'd only been able to ask Hermione for gift advice, because she was the only other person that Neville had told about his parents. What had seemed like a brilliant idea when he'd ordered the gifts now felt childish and embarrassing.

At least he'd finally learned how to step out of a floo without falling on his face. Lady Longbottom had coached him, sending him from one fireplace to another within the house, until he had it right. There was a trick to angling the body as you step out, and Hadrian had finally gotten it. This time, it was Neville who stumbled, but only because he didn't want to risk shrinking his plant. Some living things took badly to being re-sized, and apparently this plant was one of them.

When they reached the Janus Thickey Ward, a medi-witch came out and said, in an irritated voice, that the Longbottoms were not ready to receive visitors yet. Hadrian looked around, and saw an elderly witch sitting in a chair, looking like she was rocking a baby, though there was nothing in her arms.

"That's Mrs Golpickle," Neville whispered. "She's caught in a time-loop. She re-lives the same day, over and over. The baby she thinks she's rocking is old enough to have grandchildren of his own."

"That's awful!" Hadrian whispered back.

"No, the awful part came earlier. She had twins. It used to be a custom, long ago, that if magical twins were born, one was killed, because it was thought there wouldn't be enough magic for two souls. Every day she smothers her imaginary baby with a pillow." Neville shuddered. "No one is sure, but it's thought she tried to go back in time because she wasn't happy with her son and thought she'd chosen the wrong one. But instead of actually going back in time, she just sent her mind back in time."

"It's not... legal... is it? To kill a baby?" Hadrian asked.

"Merlin, no! No one knew she'd done it until the time accident. Her family thought the baby was taken by cot death. But what can law enforcement do now? She can't be punished more than what she did to herself."

The irritated medi-witch came out. "You can come in now. It doesn't matter. She won't eat."

* * *

They entered a private room that looked fairly cheerful, for a hospital room. The walls were covered with photos of friends and family, and there was a shelf by the window with plants - that if they didn't look as well-cared for as Neville's plants, at least looked healthy and regularly tended. Mr Longbottom was lying in bed, but Mrs Longbottom was sitting up with her arms crossed. A plate of food was turned over on the floor, with a house-elf cleaning up the mess. 

"Mum," Neville said. "What's wrong with your food?"

Mrs Longbottom shook her head violently, and Neville looked down at the mess. Then he looked at the medi-witch. "Were you trying to give her meat? My mother is a vegetarian. It's on all of her records."

The medi-witch scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. It makes more work for everyone, and it isn't as if she knows the difference."

"The plate of stew on the floor seems to suggest she does, young woman," Lady Longbottom said. "I will speak to your supervisor. Now."

"That's not possible. You aren't Mrs Longbottom's next of kin," the medi-witch said stubbornly.

Hadrian saw that Neville was shaking, and took one of his hands. That seemed to be enough to give Neville the confidence to say, " _I am_  her next of kin, and _I_ will speak to your supervisor, with my Gran as my advisor. Or I can bring mum's cousin, Caspari Merlo here, but he would need to get a portkey from Switzerland."

The medi-witch didn't respond, but just stepped out of the room. Neville gave all of his attention to his mother, who petted his hair while Neville looked her over. "Mum, you've lost weight."

"Do you think she's been missing more meals than just today's?" Hadrian asked in concern. "What about your father?"

"Oh Dad will eat anything," Neville said. "But it has to be fed to him. He can't feed himself."

Lady Longbottom had taken Neville's plant to the window, and was fussing over her son, who didn't seem to really notice. Hadrian suspected he must be worst off than Mrs Longbottom.

The medi-witch returned, with the Matron of the ward, a middle-aged witch with hard eyes. "May I help you?" she said with a pinched expression that seemed to suggest the opposite.

"Why has my mother lost weight since the last time I've visited?" Neville asked. His voice was shaking. Confrontation was not his strong suit, and this woman seemed almost as scary as his Gran.

"Mrs Longbottom has been displaying mealtime defiance," the Matron said. "If she tips over three plates, then she gets no more."

"And how many of those plates that she's tipping over have had meat on them? My mother is a vegetarian," Neville said.

The Matron sniffed disdainfully. "Nonsense. She doesn't know what she's eating."

Thankfully for Neville, Gran joined the conversation. "Matron Whitham, my daughter-in-law has just as much right to a vegetarian meal as any other patient in this hospital. If she isn't going to be actually  _fed_ whilst she's here, then perhaps I should consult with Mr Merlo about whether we should remove our family members from this Ward and treat them privately elsewhere."

Hadrian wondered how serious a threat this was. He didn't know if magical healthcare was free, the way it was in the NHS. Then again, the NHS didn't usually provide private rooms like this one. So maybe they were paying extra. 

The threat seemed to work. The Matron picked up the parchment on the pocket of Mrs Longbottom's bed and made some notes on it. Then she called, "Ward elf!" An elf popped into place. "Mrs Longbottom needs a new meal - a vegetarian meal."

"Yes ma'am, Matron Whitham," the elf said, and popped away.

"I trust that will be to your satisfaction?" the Matron said, in almost a sneering tone. 

"You may go," Lady Longbottom said.

"Neville, your Mum..." Hadrian whispered. Neville turned around, and saw that his mother had crawled into the bed and pulled the blanket up over her head during the whole conversation with the Matron.

* * *

Neville eventually coaxed his Mum out of bed, and she was pleased when she got a new meal. Hadrian wanted to talk to the elf, but it was in and out too fast for him to say anything. He had a bad feeling about that Matron, and the medi-witch. They both reminded him too much of Aunt Petunia. 

After Mrs Longbottom had eaten, it was time for presents. Lady Longbottom's gifts were practical - dressing gowns and slippers and blankets. Neville had grown the flower for them, and he had made a scrapbook of his first term at Hogwarts, and Fred and George had spelled it to be impervious to tears and spills. Mrs Longbottom looked through it, then when she saw a picture of Neville waving at her, she touched the picture, then she pointed at Neville. 

"Yes, that's me," he said. When she pointed at the tie he was wearing in the picture, he grinned and said, "I'm a Hufflepuff, like you." She petted his hair happily. When she saw a picture of Neville and Hadrian together, she pointed at Hadrian, and Neville remembered that he'd never made introductions because of the meal crisis.

"This is my best friend, Hadrian. You knew his parents. James and Lily Potter?" No recognition came to Mrs Longbottom's face. "It's okay, Mum."

Mr Longbottom was less engaged with his surroundings. Lady Longbottom tried to show him the pictures, but he didn't seem to focus on them.

Hadrian took out his own gifts and asked Lady Longbottom to unshrink them. She did so, and Mrs Longbottom unwrapped hers, while Lady Longbottom opened her son's package for him.

"It's from me and Hermione both," Hadrian said. He was feeling embarrassed about his gift again, until Mrs Longbottom got hers open, and pulled out the large plushy badger and gave it a tight hug. The plushy, being magical, cuddled her back, burrowing into her neck. "It has a magic sink, so if you cast a spell on it, she'll feel your magic when you're back at Hogwarts. There's a little booklet that explains it..." Hadrian handed the booklet to Neville as his voice trailed off. 

Lady Longbottom finished opening Mr Longbottom's gift, which was a cuddly lion. It snuggled in with Mr Longbottom, and began purring. He didn't look at the cuddly lion, but his hand moved up slowly and petted the lion's mane.

Hadrian was suddenly tackle-hugged by Neville. "Hadrian, how did you know?" Lady Longbottom summoned the booklet and was using its instructions to cast a warming charm on her son's lion. 

"Er... well... I thought if I was stuck in the Hospital Wing, I'd want company more than anything, but they can't have pets. So this was the next best thing?" Hadrian said weakly. He still wasn't used to being hugged. 

* * *

That evening, Neville and Hadrian played chess and listened to the portraits tell stories about Frank and Alice Longbottom. They had far more stories about Frank, of course, since he'd grown up in the Manor, but they remembered Alice from the days their courtship began and onward. 

"I never like to talk about my parents to other kids," Neville said. "I'm not ashamed of them. I just..."

"You don't want their pity," Hadrian said. 

"You understand."

"Every time I have ever told people, 'My parents are dead,' they fall all over themselves with pity. Well, muggles did. Now it's the stupid boy-who-lived crap. But it's like - yeah, we'd rather have had parents, of course, but this is the only life we know. Just let us alone, right?"

"Right!" Neville said. "If they cared about Mum and Dad, they'd visit _them_. I'm alive and well. I don't need fake pity."

"And if they cared about me being an orphan, they wouldn't have exiled me from the wix world for a decade." Hadrian tipped over his king and flopped back on the bed. "Do you think the Matron will feed your Mum properly now?"

"For a while. This... it comes up every few years. They don't believe she knows if there is meat in her meals. Mum's only blood relative besides me is a second cousin in Switzerland. I've never met him in person, but he sends presents, and he contributes generously to the hospital in Mum's name." Neville put away the chess set, and laid down on his stomach. "Hadrian... I never had the guts to stand up for Mum before. I owe it all to you and Hermione, and the Hufflepuffs - but mostly you."

Hadrian shook his head. "That was all you, Neville. It was always in you. Badger and lion, just like your parents."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canon!GoF: And then Harry pulls a living firebreathing model of a Hungarian Horntail out of the bag  
> Author: And... what happened to it then? That is like the coolest thing ever! He went obsessing about that stupid golden egg for months, but he didn't play with his miniature dragon? Let it fly around the Gryff common room to entertain the First Years? Give it to Fred and George for them to dissect the charmwork involved?  
> Canon!OotP: Tonks gives Harry a miniature Firebolt for Christmas that flies around the room.  
> Author: That is so cool!  
> Author: More wix toys....  
> Author: Aww, come on....  
> Author: ...  
> Author: Fine. I'll invent my own. Cuddly toys that cuddle! Give them to all your homesick Hogwartians! The gift sensation of the year!


	10. Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Students return to Hogwarts after Christmas.

"Hadrian! Neville!" A bushy haired missile flung herself at both boys when they arrived at Platform 9 3/4. "I love the bag you got me! It's perfect!"

The boys had bought Hermione a fancy school leather satchel with a feather-light charm and the capacity to hold at least a hundred books. The quote on the flap currently read _"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader." -Margaret Fuller_. Hermione could change the quote by tapping it with her wand - they were all quotes about reading, by women.

"Did you get the 'you know what' for 'you know who'?" Neville asked.

"Yup!" She patted her bag. "My parents were confused, but when I explained it to them, they were very excited and can't wait to find out what we learn from the experiment! But we need to remember to extract a 'no pranking us' promise from the twins before we let them see."

"Good luck with that," Neville said. 

"Lady Longbottom, thank you for your hospitality," Hadrian said. "It was the best Christmas I can ever remember."

Neville's Gran brushed some imaginary lint off his shoulders. "Nonsense, Hadrian. It was our pleasure. You are welcome anytime."

* * *

As the train sped north, Neville thanked Hermione for the badger and lion toys. They had visited his parents once more before the end of break, and it was obvious that both toys were well loved, even by Frank, the most brain damaged of the two. Harry told Hermione about meeting his cousin Andromeda. He didn't tell her that he had a couple of letters for the Headmaster written and looked over by Mr Tonks. Neither of them expected them to be successful, but it was the first step in the process.

"Do you want to know what the most exciting thing about the whole break was?" Hadrian asked Hermione. "I learned from Neville's two great-grandmothers-"

"Great-great-grandmothers," Neville corrected.

"Lady Ida and Drusilla Longbottom," Hadrian said. "Told us that portraits are often bored out of their minds, and if you ask them nicely, they'll teach you just about anything. They can't teach practical skills, but they can teach history, languages, politics, etiquette, maths... and there are so many portraits in Hogwarts! You could probably learn just about any knowledge based skill there is!"

Hermione's jaw dropped.

Neville elbowed Hadrian. "I think you broke her. Breathe, Hermione!"

"But, but, but... this opens up so many options!" she almost wailed. "There aren't enough hours in the day! Does magic let you make the day longer?"

Hadrian shook his head. "If so, it's incredibly dangerous. There's a woman in the Janus Thickey ward living the same day over and over in her mind. I think you better stick to 24 hours at a time."

"Well, okay. What are you going to learn?"

"French and Latin," Hadrian said immediately. 

"Why those?" Hermione said. 

"Latin to make it easier to understand spells, and French because every European should know French." He left off having Beauxbatons as his fallback option. He didn't want to leave Hogwarts when he had so many friends, but he didn't want to have a language barrier stopping him. He had spoken more to Mr Tonks about emigration. Hadrian knew as a UK citizen it would be easier to get permission to go to school in France than in the US, at least in the muggle world. The rules were not quite the same in the magical world - there was no European Union - but it was quite common for British students to study at one of the two major continental schools, so there were procedures in place. It was not quite as common for British students to go to Ilvermony, the US school. 

Whether the Boy-Who-Lived would be permitted to leave Britain was another question. Hadrian rather suspected the answer would be no.

"French! That's wonderful! I know some French!" Hermione said. "We can study together!"

"We're going to ask the house elves for a few mostly empty frames to move into our study room, and then portrait people can come and go," Hadrian said.

"Oh oh! There's one on the sixth floor, of a library! I love to stop and look at it - it's just so beautiful. Sunlight streaming in the window, and a comfortable reading chair. That one would be perfect!" Hermione said.

* * *

A few hours into the journey, the Weasley twins entered their compartment. "It was your idea, wasn't it, Hermione?" George said.

"Actually, it was Neville's," Hadrian said, which made Neville turn pink. "He's the one who noticed you were both using used cauldrons and sharing a hand-me-down potions kit."

"Hermione organised it though," Neville said. The study group had contributed together to get Fred and George each a new cauldron and their own kit. "And Millicent charmed your names onto the kits."

"I might have carried the order form to the Owlery-" Hadrian said. Then laughed. "Nah, it was mostly Neville and Hermione and Millicent. They did it all. The rest of us just chipped in."

"It's fabulous!"

"We've never had new cauldrons before!"

"Percy's so jealous!"

"Percy hasn't been our potions tutor for the past term!" Hermione said sharply.

* * *

A day after students returned, Professor Snape heard a knock on the door of his office and opened it to find Hadrian Potter standing there.

"Yes?" 

Hadrian came in and sat down across from his desk.

"Sir, there a was parcel on my bed, with a strange, unsigned note on it. I was going to bring it here to let you check it for hexes or traps. But then Draco said it was the Headmaster's handwriting. So I went ahead and opened it. And inside was this..."

He opened his satchel and pulled out the Invisibility Cloak that James Potter's gang of hooligans had used to torment Slytherins for the seven years he had been at Hogwarts. 

"Circe and Morgana, what is the Headmaster thinking?" Snape said.

"That was sort of my reaction," Hadrian admitted. "But the problem is that most of the boys in my dorm saw me open it. And Blaise's first reaction was to say we could use it to spy on the Gryffindor changing room, because their chasers are hot - his opinion, not mine. Theo wants to use it to get into the Restricted Section of the library. Vincent wants to plant dungbombs in Ravenclaw's common room. Draco thinks I should just keep it on me at all times, because I might never know when an opportunity to learn secrets might arise."

"And Goyle?"

"Greg said he wouldn't want to disappoint you by breaking rules, so leave him out." Hadrian smiled. Greg was a good kid. "Anyway, you see my problem. I can't keep this, because it's too big a thing to tempt everyone with. Besides, I couldn't think of any reason for me to go about the school invisible that wouldn't be rules-breaking or creepy.So I was going to turn it over to you until the end of the year. But then I did this..." He put it up to his face and inhaled. "And it makes me feel safe and loved, and I wondered if there was a bewitching spell on it."

"May I?" Snape asked, reaching for the cloak. He examined it, tested it for compulsion spells, then sniffed it himself. It didn't smell like anything to him. "I believe you smell your father's magic on it. You have nothing else that belonged to either of your parents?"

"I never even saw a picture until you gave me that birth announcement, and that's just my Mum," Hadrian said.

Snape scowled. He had no reason to praise James Potter, but apparently he had been a good parent. "You may not remember him, but on some level, your magic remembers his." He watched Hadrian absorb this, look down, cling to the cloak.

"I don't know what to do," Hadrian finally confessed.

"You want to _have_ it but not _use_ it?" Snape asked. "And you want to make sure your dorm-mates don't succumb to temptation and steal it from you, or even just borrow it and get themselves into great trouble."

"Exactly," Hadrian said.

"Then you should choose one of your friend's plans and go out with them, and I'll catch you at it and confiscate the cloak. Then a few days later, I'll have a house-elf return it to you sewn into a pillowcase. If you have a great invisibility emergency, you can rip the stitches and retrieve it, but expect to justify it to me afterwards. If I am not satisfied then I will take you to Gringott's to deposit it into your vault for safekeeping. Is this agreeable?"

"Yes, sir. I'll take Theo to the Restricted Section then. That's the only one that really tempted me."

"Go after curfew tonight. If you get there before I've 'caught' you, don't touch any of the books with your bare hands. Use your dragonhide gloves."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

"Oh, Hadrian?" Snape said, as Hadrian was at the door. "Thank you for your Christmas present. It was very thoughtful."

Hadrian grinned, then vanished, shutting the door behind him. Snape looked down at the parchment that had been wrapped in a festive ribbon, promising that for the rest of the year, the Weasley Twins would play no pranks in his classroom, his office, his personal quarters, or on his person. He had absolutely no idea how Hadrian had pulled that off, but it was more creative than any gift he'd been given by a Slytherin before. 

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charlus Potter: I have a family heirloom that is rumoured to be gifted from Death!  
> Charlus Potter: I have an eleven year old son who is going off to a boarding school with barely any supervision.  
> Charlus Potter: "Hey, James, wanna take the Invisibility Cloak to school with you?"  
> Charlus Potter: "Just promise you won't use it to get into trouble."  
> James Potter: "Promise, Dad!"  
> ... *Later, on the Express*  
> James Potter: "Guess what, Sirius, my Dad gave me an Invisibility Cloak! Wanna use it to prank the Slytherins?"  
> Sirius Black: "You are the wind beneath my wings!"


	11. Erised

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A late-night excursion

Draco at first said he was going to go with Theo and Hadrian on their post-curfew excursion, but at the last minute, he claimed that he needed to finish his Charms essay. Hadrian highly doubted this was true - Draco never put off homework till the last minute - but was willing to let him save face rather than accuse him of chickening out. 

"Stay away from Filch," Draco warned them. "If you lose any points for Slytherin, I'll hex you."

Hadrian felt a little guilty, knowing they might be doing just that. "Theo... we don't have to do this."

"Yes we do! Do you know what sort of magic is hidden in the Restricted Section? Stuff that would be illegal to sell, but the Ministry isn't allowed to raid the Hogwarts library. It's up to the Board of Governors and the Hogwarts staff to keep students from learning illegal magic," Theo said.

"What exactly do you want to learn?" Hadrian asked.

"Everything!" Theo said. "But for tonight, let's look up calendrical rituals and how they intersect with astronomy."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Boooring..."

"That's only because you don't realise how ancient they are..."

"No talking once we get in the hallway," Hadrian said to Theo, heading off a lecture. "It's an invisibility cloak, not an inaudibility cloak."

"Right," Theo said.

Once they got into the dungeon corridors and put the cloak over themselves, they realised one problem: Hogwarts looked really different and spooky at night. Only a few torches were lit, the portraits were asleep, and even the ghosts seem to be away. Hadrian used the nightvision feature of his glasses, but that made the castle look even stranger. He almost took a wrong turning twice, before Theo set him right. 

When they finally reached the library, they walked behind Madam Pince's desk and then they stepped over the rope dividing it from the rest of the library.  _It can't be this easy..._ Hadrian thought.  _Just a rope?_ But then, during the day, there was Madam Pince as guardian.  _But we can't be the first students to think of turning up after curfew..._

Theo was gazing reverently at the books, as if he'd walked into a treasure vault. He held his wand up with a  _Lumos_ shining from the tip, and read the titles. Hadrian followed so he wouldn't walk out from under the Cloak. 

"Gloves," Hadrian whispered, before Theo gave into temptation and took down a book. He was just in time. Theo snatched back his hand, and put on his dragonhide gloves. 

Theo took down a book with his now gloved hands - it didn't seem to have anything to do with rituals, as far as Hadrian could tell - and opened it lovingly. With nothing better to do, Hadrian put on his own gloves and chose a book himself.

* * *

Four books later for Hadrian (Theo was still reading the first), he thought he heard a noise. "Listen," he whispered. 

Both boys strained their ears, and it sounded like the sounds of footsteps, and voices whispering. "They're coming this way!" Hadrian said. "We've got to go!"

"We can't leave the books on the floor!" Theo said. Hadrian wondered if he was going to be a librarian when he grew up. He reshelved his own book exactly where it had come from, but Hadrian couldn't remember the right places for his books. 

"I'll just stick them -"

"No! Don't stick them anywhere! Then they can be lost forever! Most valuable books like these are immune to Summoning charms!" Theo hissed. "Put them... on the chair, by the wall. Then at least she'll see they need reshelving."

Hadrian did so, but the voices were getting closer. It was definitely students sneaking, based on the whispering, and not Filch or Snape, who would have no reason to be stealthy. "Come on!" he groaned. At least he knew, based on tests in the dorm, that a lit wand under the cloak couldn't be seen from the outside. It didn't make sense from a physics point of view, but that was magic for you.

Finally they stepped over the rope and slipped around Madam Pince's desk from one side as George and Fred Weasley were creeping in from the other. Theo and Hadrian held their breath, and then moved very slowly and quietly out of the library.

* * *

"What do you think they were doing there?" Theo asked.

"Same thing we were, just without invisibility," Hadrian said. "I guess third years can't get a pass either."

Suddenly, there was a blood-curdling shriek that came from the library. Hadrian couldn't imagine what it was - it definitely wasn't the voice of the twins, and no one else had been in there. Theo grabbed his arm and ran. He thought he spotted Filch at one point, but then Theo pulled him through a illusory wall, and up a staircase. Hadrian didn't know why they were going up instead of down, and his nightvision view of the castle was seriously disorienting him. Finally, Theo pulled him into an abandoned classroom, and closed the door, so they could catch their breath.

"Who was screaming?" Hadrian gasped.

"Not who - what. That was the alarms on the Restricted Section. The twins must not have been wearing gloves," Theo said. "I thought you knew about that - isn't that why you said we should wear gloves?"

"Er..." Hadrian had to think of an explanation that didn't involve Snape. "I didn't want to damage the old books. You know, with fingerprints."

Theo looked at him strangely. "Sometimes you are such a muggle. You think our library books haven't been enchanted to be impervious to that?"

"Oh... I guess." Hadrian said. "Why did we run up?"

"Because the twins will be leading Filch a merry chase for a while, and there's no telling which direction they'll go, but I was pretty sure they wouldn't come up to the Ravenclaw tower," Theo said. 

"That's where we are?"

"Didn't you recognise the shortcut?" 

"Everything looks strange to me in the nightvision function on my glasses," Hadrian said. "The portraits don't show up except as frames, and that's how I'm used to navigating in the castle."

"Maybe you should switch back to regular vision," Theo said. 

Hadrian shook his head. "No way. I hate the dark." It wasn't as dark as his cupboard, but it was still uncomfortable. "When do you think it's safe to head back?"

"Maybe wait ten minutes or -" Theo's voice ended in a gasp. "Mum?!"

Hadrian spun around, to find Theo staring into a large, ornate mirror, holding his hand out towards it. He crawled over behind Theo, and looked in the mirror, but his nightvision only showed the mirror as a frame, like the portraits. He tapped his wand onto his glasses to switch back to regular vision, and as his eyes adjusted, he didn't see Theo's reflection, or Theo's mum. 

Instead, he saw himself, and a beautiful red-haired woman he knew only from a single photograph, standing with a man with round framed glasses and messy hair. Behind them were Neville's parents, whole and healthy, and Neville, and Lady Longbottom, along with the Tonks family, and Draco, and his parents. Hermione was in the picture too, reading a book, though she looked up from it to wave at him, and her parents, wearing dentist uniforms, were nearby. Most of the people in the mirror were waving at him, and some were crying. They were all happy to see him. Even Professor Snape was in the far back of the crowd, sneering at everyone, but sharing the look with Hadrian that he often did, when they were both annoyed at the same things.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Theo asked softly.

"I don't see your Mum Theo," Hadrian said. "I see mine."

"Do you think it lets you see the dead?"

"I can see more than just my Mum and Dad. I see a bunch of people, and most of them are alive," Hadrian whispered.

"I wish you could. I miss her," Theo said. 

Hadrian forgot all about his plan to get caught, or about returning to bed at all. The two boys sat there, watching the dreams until Professor Snape found them close to morning, both shivering and huddled close to each other for warmth, still staring into the mirror. 

* * *

Severus Snape was livid. He had two of his snakes in the infirmary, and all because Albus Dumbledore had left a dangerous artefact where anyone could find it. 

"Lemon drop?" Dumbledore offered as soon as the Heads of Houses had arrived. Severus had called the meeting after seeing what condition Nott and Potter were left in. 

"Forget candy," Snape said. "I want that cursed mirror out of this castle before it hurts anyone else."

"What mirror?" McGonagall asked.

"Two of my Slytherins were out last night after curfew. They ran afoul of the Mirror of Erised, where they were enchanted into sitting in front of it, staring into visions of their hearts' deepest desires until I found them. Because it is January, both boys suffered hypothermia from sitting on the stone floor in an unheated room for hours. They both urinated on themselves. Even now, Theo's first remark to me when he regained consciousness in the Hospital Wing was to ask if he could have a pass from classes so he could go and see his Mum again. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ALBUS?!"

"Severus, my boy, you must understand..."

"Understand this! I want that mirror gone!" Severus said.

"I quite agree," Flitwick said. "I have heard stories of that Mirror before. It has killed people."

"It is not meant to capture students, it is meant to capture Lord Voldemort's wraith," Dumbledore said. "The Philosopher's Stone is to be used as bait, but the Mirror is the trap."

"Then why isn't it with the rest of the obstacles?" Sprout asked.

"I haven't had a chance to connect the room where it resides to the rest of the trap yet," Dumbledore said. Of course the trapdoor in the 3rd floor corridor didn't lead to real space, or anyone dropping through it would be on the second floor. The various trap rooms were scattered throughout the castle and connected by shortcuts and portals. "Once I have connected it to Severus's excellent puzzle, I will have Hogwarts remove the door so that students cannot find it."

"Unless they go through the obstacle course," McGonagall said. "I can't keep an eye on 200 Gryffindors at once."

"Certainly no students will be able to get through the obstacles you have all put together," Dumbledore said.

"I'd feel a lot more certain of that if you'd put an age line around the door," Flitwick said.

"I'm sure that's not at all necessary." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye.

* * *

 

Back in Gryffindor Tower, George and Fred met up with Alicia Spinnet. "No luck with the Restricted Section last night. The first book we opened screamed and we had to run for it. Almost got caught twice!" George said.

"How are we ever going to find who Flamel is?" Alicia asked.

"Maybe it's time to ask a Ravenclaw," Fred suggested.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon!Dumbledore: I have come up with the perfect plan!  
> canon!Dumbledore: No one but Harry Potter or Voldemort will pierce the defences around the Philosopher's Stone.  
> Every Gryffindor: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!


	12. Scientific Method

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a filler chapter. Eh, they happen....

"I'm sorry, Mr Potter. I still don't think you're healthy enough to fly," Madam Pomphrey said.

Hadrian was gutted. He had really tried his best to stick with the nutrition regimen that the mediwitch had prescribed for him, nasty potions and all. "Is it because of the Mirror?" he asked.

"No, this is down to your weight and bone density. The Mirror episode didn't affect that. You've been doing very well, but you just need to give your body more time to recover."

"Thank you, ma'am. I understand," Hadrian said. What he was most worried about was that he would lose ground over the summer if the Dursleys starved him again, and still not be healthy enough to fly by next September. 

When he returned to his dorm, he found a flatish pillow on his bed, and he knew what it was - his father's invisibility cloak, sewn into a pillowcase. He put it up to his face and breathed in deeply, and he could feel the magic. House elves were so clever, being able to change their beds and laundry without being seen. 

House elves... maybe that was the answer...

"Midzie?" he called. A house elf appeared before him, the one that was assigned to the Slytherin first year dorms. 

"What can Midzie do for Master Hadrian Potter sir?" the elf asked.

"I have some questions about house elves," Hadrian asked. "If I wanted to get a house elf of my own to visit me in the summer, and make sure I have enough food to eat, is that possible? Are there house elf hiring services?"

Midzie stood and stared at him for a moment, and then immediately began beating his head on the wall and crying. Hadrian didn't know what to do, and he didn't know the names of any other house elves, so he just called out, "Help! House elves! Help!"

Three more house elves appeared and two grabbed hold of Midzie and tried to calm him. One of them seemed to be much older than the others, and she was holding a wooden spoon. "What did child say to Midzie to upset him?"

"I asked if it was possible to hire a house elf to visit me in the summer to make sure I had enough food..." Hadrian said.

"Child doesn't have enough food! No wonder Midzie is upset! And then child spoke of hiring, as if a house elf is a carriage rather than a person. House elves is not for hiring! House elves is for life!"

"Er... I'm sorry," Hadrian said. "Midzie, I'm sorry. Please don't hurt yourself."

"Midzie will come check on Master Hadrian Potter all summer, every day and make sure Master Hadrian Potter has enough food to eat," Midzie promised.

"But won't you get in trouble here?" Hadrian looked at the older elf, who seemed to be in charge. "Will the Headmaster know?"

The older elf scoffed. "The Headmaster doesn't notice the kitchens, as long as he gets his meals. There is always enough food to sneak some out."

"Thank you. What is your name?"

"I being head elf Neera," she said. "Neera and Midzie will make sure you have enough to eat."

* * *

For detention, Professor Snape had Theo and Hadrian brew Pepper-Up for the Hospital Wing. Hadrian didn't think this was much of a detention at all, since they both practiced brewing in their free time. The only difference was having Professor Snape watching over them instead of the Weasley twins. Hadrian was pretty sure that if Snape was giving detention to Gryffindors, it would have been something much less pleasant. 

It was during detention that Hadrian showed Professor Snape what Hermione had purchased over Christmas: a case of travel size spray bottles.

"We were wondering if you could put potion in a spray bottle like this, and spray it at someone, like perfume. Like if someone was having trouble swallowing potions, or just didn't like them," Hadrian said. 

"Hmm..." Professor Snape said, filling the bottle with water and spraying it. "Thank you for not simply diving in and using this as a prank delivery system. Are you familiar with the scientific method?"

"Er..." Hadrian said. "Isn't that muggle?"

"Muggles don't _own_ science. Check with Miss Granger. I'm sure she'll recall it. If she doesn't, then you'll need to order in the correct books. Design an animal experiment with a potion and write up a proposal. After your proposal is approved, then we can see about conducting the experiment. Do not spray potions in anyone's face, no matter how safe it might seem."

"Yes, sir," Hadrian said.

* * *

George and Fred were delighted with the opportunities they could imagine with the spray bottles, and then gutted when they heard of the restrictions Snape had put on their use. "But... we could just put a Euphoria Draft in them. That'd be safe. Then go spraying them at people and making their day."

"George Weasley, don't you dare!" Hermione said, snatching back the spray bottle from his hand. "You  _don't_ know that it's safe! It's taking a potion in by the lungs instead of the stomach! There's a reason that scientific testing is done on animals before it's done on humans!"

"But what's the point of testing animals?" Fred asked. "They can't describe their symptoms."

"The point of testing animals is so that if your experiment is deadly, it's just an animal and not a person," Hadrian said. "What if it turned out that Euphoria Draught is deadly when inhaled? Wouldn't you rather kill mice to find that out, and not a classmate?"

"Er... point taken..." George said. "How come Snape knows about this sciefic thing? Isn't he a pure blood?"

Hermione turned to the portrait who was visiting their study room today. "Sir Francis? Are there any portraits who might be willing to teach science to some unlearned wixes?"

"I'll send the question around!" Sir Francis said. "I'm afraid it's not one of my fields of learning, but I'm certain one of my comrades took lessons from the muggles."

* * *

By the next day, they had to send the house elves for the largest frame they could find, as they had about a dozen painted scientists (most of them called themselves 'natural philosophers') from different eras arguing happily with one another and with their students. Midzie finally discovered a large autumn view of the village of Hogsmeade where there was enough room for everyone to gather - though the villagers came out of their homes and shops to gawk at the crowd.

Hadrian decided to commission his own large painting if the philosophers seemed inclined to stick around - perhaps a large room with comfy chairs and a nice buffet spread out to one side. He'd noticed that portraits who happened to be painted in a kitchen or feast were most popular with their comrades!

Hermione was anxious to start the experiment, but Hadrian thought it would be better to educate their friends so that they could do it together. Since they all (especially the twins) wanted to be part of the project, Hermione let herself be talked into slowing down. But Hadrian suspected she was already making notes for their future project.

"It's okay if we don't start until next year," Hadrian told her. "We have time."

"We could be squirting mice in the face  _right now!"_ she said peevishly.

"Ooooor, we could be learning Latin," he reminded her. "Which most of the pure-bloods already know."

"Right," she said with a sigh. "Latin."

* * *

The study group went to the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff match, where all but the Hufflepuffs cheered for their Potions tutors. Even Malfoy sat with the Gryffindor supporters, though he refused to wear a red and gold scarf. The Slytherin contingent was particularly interested in the fact that their House Head was refereeing the match. 

"It's to protect Millicent," Pansy said. "He thinks he can watch the bludgers better from on broomstick."

"I still think Snape is the target," Hadrian said. "And he'd be safer behind the barrier."

Warders had been all over the barrier during the Christmas break, and discovered where a cursed rune had weakened the barrier near the Slytherin section. But if they had any idea who had placed the rune, the student rumour mill hadn't discovered it.

Hermione read during the match again, and so she missed the moment where an Hufflepuff supporter, who disagreed with one of Snape's calls, hit him with the Body Bind curse. Snape went rigid, his arms snapped to his side and his legs snapped together, with his broomstick stuck to him and out of his control. 

Cedric Diggory, Fred, and George helped Snape to the ground where Madam Pomphrey reversed the curse. After a few minutes, Professor Vector agreed to finish out the game as referee. Meanwhile, Dora Tonks dragged Penny Haywood over to Snape to be punished.

* * *

In the Hufflepuff Common Room, the story of how Haywood had cursed Snape was told over and over, much to her shame. "I don't even know why I did it! I like Professor Snape!" Haywood said, with tears running down her face. "I'm in his NEWT potions class! I don't even follow Quidditch normally - I just went because Heidi and Raashid wanted me to!"

"Look at my wand," Dora said. "Follow it with your eyes." She waved a certain pattern and then spoke an incantation under her breath. "Helga's heartstrings! You've been Confunded!" Dora said. "Come with me." And she led Penny off to see Professor Sprout.

"Wow, what was that?" Neville asked.

"Auror grade spell," Diego Caplan said. "That's why she said it under her breath. She isn't supposed to be learning it yet. Betcha she's snuck some of their training manuals from somewhere."

"So... someone's still trying to kill Professor Snape," Hadrian concluded. "The troll, the bludger, and now confunding a student. They're really bad at this."

"Well it's not like they can poison him," Millicent said. "He'd never fall for that."

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dumbledore: Now, if everything is on schedule, Harry should have discovered who Nicholas Flamel is...  
> Fred: Look at this, George! I found Flamel! On a Chocolate Frog card!  
> ... elsewhere in the Hog's Head...  
> Hagrid: O'course I'm experienced in taking care of animals. I got this hippogriff name o' Buckbeak. Now the secret to dealing with a hippogriff, you have to know that they're right proud beasts. You want to bow to them first...  
> Hooded man: I see. Well, you sound experienced enough. I suppose we can play cards for this egg...


	13. Mars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hagrid loses a pet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I didn't want to simply retell the original story, so this chapter comes across somewhat disjointed, with a few scenes out of order. I also thought it silly that only one person at Hogwarts had a camera, and it was a muggleborn. Surely there are magical cameras, owned by pure-bloods, because their pure-blood parents want piccies of their little babies off at school!)

Millicent Bulstrode was pulled aside into an alcove by two ginger haired menaces between classes one day.

"Hey Millie-"

"Beautiful, lovely, Millie-"

"Don't forget clever, Gred-"

"I was just getting to how clever she is, Forge-"

"Valiant troll-slayer too, mustn't forget that."

Millicent rolled her eyes, though the twins could tell she was enjoying the flattery. "Yes, Demon Twins? What favour could you possibly want from one so beautiful and clever? Even though it was Myrtle who took down the troll, and it was only knocked-out, not killed?"

"Could we borrow your camera?"

"And a roll of film?"

"It's for a friend."

"Do I know the friend?" Millicent asked.

"Maybe? I don't think so though."

"Do I get to see the pictures?"

Fred and George looked at each other. "Er... it'd have to be under a very strict promise of secrecy."

That made Millicent's eyes glow. Secrets were like candy to Slytherins. "I'll bring it to the Great Hall tonight."

* * *

"THAT'S A DRAGON!" Millicent shrieked, when she saw the pictures of 'Norbert' trying to lunge at the camera.Then as she flipped through the pictures, her expression changed. "Oh Merlin, she's so cute!"

"Cute?" Fred said.

"You're barmy." George pointed out.

"Just like Hagrid." Fred shook his head. "Why do you say 'she'?"

"Why would you assume it's a boy?" Millicent said haughtily.

"Hagrid calls 'her' Norbert."

"He should call her Nora."

"Soooo... now you know his secret. We're taking the pictures to Hagrid because we have a plot to smuggle  _Nora_ away to a dragon sanctuary, and Hagrid is nigh inconsolable."

"Do you need help?" Millicent asked.

The twins exchanged glances again. "If you're serious - it could get you in trouble though. We've got to get the dragon up to the top of the Astronomy Tower on midnight on Saturday. It wouldn't hurt to have some extra muscle."

"Oh ho... muscle I can provide!" Millicent said. "I just want to meet the little darling before she flies away. And Draco would do anything in order to meet a dragon up close."

* * *

"Er... why is Slytherin down 100 points?" Hadrian asked when he and Theo got to breakfast on Sunday morning.

"Don't ask. It's too stupid for words," Millicent said, glowering. "Gryffindor's also down 100, Draco's in the hospital wing with a poisoned bite, and I have detention with him and the Demon twins once he's healed."

"Ooookay," Theo said. "Guess we should go take Draco some candy after breakfast."

* * *

During Astronomy with the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws class, Neville said, "Huh. Mars is awfully bright tonight."

"Is it?" Hermione asked. She pointed her telescope that way. "Huh, it really is. Is that normal? I'm used to living in a city with a lot of light pollution, so I never got to see much of the stars before getting to Hogwarts."

"What's light pollution?" Neville asked.

Hermione launched into an explanation, assisted by a few other muggleborns, when suddenly -

"Red sparks!" Susan Bones shouted, and pointed. "In the forest! Professor!"

Every wizard child knew what red sparks meant. It meant _'I'm in trouble, help me!'_

Professor Sinistra ran to the edge of the tower, and students screamed as she leapt right over the wall. Halfway down, she transformed into a barn owl, and flew off into the darkness towards the forest.

Everyone was speechless at first, then... "Did you know she was an animagus?!" was the most common question asked. Then it occurred to everyone that if they aimed their telescopes towards the Forest they might see what was happening.

* * *

Of course they couldn't see what was happening in the Forest. But about twenty minutes later, they saw Hagrid, Professor Sinistra (back in human form), a palomino centaur, and a group of students emerging from the forest.

"That's Hadrian! On the centaur's back! He's hurt!" Hermione said. "And Hagrid is carrying Millicent. What were they doing in the Forbidden Forest after midnight?!"

"Is she breathing?" Neville asked. He had a sudden fear that Hagrid was carrying Millicent's body, but then he saw her speaking to Professor Sinistra. "Oh, okay. But the twins and Draco look pretty shaken."

"Do you think we should pack up? Class would have been over by now?" Padma asked. There were different opinions, but eventually they decided to wait until the group below had reached the castle entrance. Not that any of them could have done anything to help from where they were on the tower. It just felt unlucky to leave until they knew they were safe.

* * *

Hadrian had not been part of the dragon smuggling party. Not being one of Hagrid's friends, he didn't even know about the dragon. He wouldn't have even been part of the detention assigned to Millicent, Draco, Fred, and George, if Filch hadn't grabbed him at the last minute and assigned him detention for 'Running in the Corridors'. When he insisted he hadn't been running, his offence was changed to 'Disrespecting Authority.'

He couldn't help but think something was terribly wrong when Filch marched them out of the castle doors that late at night, and down to Hagrid's hut. Doing chores for the gameskeeper seemed a sensible detention, but doing them in the middle of the night? Maybe he had nocturnal animals that needed caring for?

He kept Millicent between him and Fang. She was big and tall, and Fang liked her. 

Then Hagrid announced they were going into the Forest.

"We're not allowed in the Forest!" Millicent said.

"Yer fine if yer wif me," Hagrid said. Then he announced that they were going after something that was killing unicorns, and the three Slytherins huddled together. 

"Something's not right about this," Millicent whispered to Hadrian and Draco. "We're first years! And Fred and George are still only third years! We shouldn't be doing this!"

"Should we refuse? Go back to the castle?" Draco suggested.

"Would the Gryffindors come with us?" Hadrian asked. "We should if we can get them to come with us. If not, it'll look like we're just cowardly Slytherins."

Of course the twins didn't want to try to get out of detention.

"It's safe!" Fred said. "We're been in the Forest loads of times."

"Never too far in."

"And never at night."

"But we've got Hagrid with us."

"McGonagall wouldn't have sent us here if it wasn't safe."

* * *

Hadrian woke in the infirmary to hear McGonagall shouting. He couldn't understand what she was saying, because when she became very angry, her Scottish brogue thickened. But Millicent, who was in the next bed with a badly sprained ankle, translated. "Apparently she didn't approve that detention. She thought we were going to be polishing trophies."

"How do you understand her?"

"A branch of our family lives in the highlands. They talk about that thick. Sounds like they have pebbles in their mouths or something," Millicent said. 

"How much trouble is Hagrid in?"

"Probably none. He had a note he thought was from McGonagall telling him what to do for our detentions. So he was only doing what he was told, and  _he_ thinks the Forest is safe, and so do our pet Gryffindors."

"Never going to forgive the twins. Never," Hadrian said. "That  _thing_ in the Forest, that was killing the unicorns... did you see it?"

Millicent shook her heads. "We heard the unicorn scream. We didn't see the killer. You and the twins are lucky the centaurs came for you."

Hadrian thought about what the centaurs had told him. "Millicent, would you want to know what the killer was, if knowing might put you in danger?"

Millicent considered. "No. Not if it's dangerous."

"Probably a good choice," Hadrian said. He wished he didn't know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trio: Hagrid, you could be in terrible trouble for owning a dragon!  
> Trio: We'll save you!  
> Trio: We'll smuggle the dragon away!  
> ...  
> Hagrid: Yeh've done wrong, an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it! Into teh Forest!  
> Trio: Wait, the FORBIDDEN Forest? The one that's deadly? And also Forbidden?  
> Hagrid: Yeh're safe as long as yeh're wif me. Now let's split up!  
> Trio: Er...  
> Trio: You do remember the part where we're only in trouble because we were trying to save your dragon-loving arse right?  
> Trio: You couldn't, you know, go easy on us? Have us clean the chicken coops or polish the thestral harnesses or something non-deadly?  
> Hagrid: Nope!


	14. Magical Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hadrian confronts the Headmaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Hadrian's childhood: emotional abuse, neglect, and deliberate cruelty. Dumbledore attempting to gaslight Hadrian.

Professor Snape stopped Dumbledore after the staff meeting one morning as exams were approaching. "The Potter boy wants a meeting with you."

"He does?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling. "What about?"

"How should I know?" he snapped, though of course he knew all the details, having worked on them carefully with Hadrian before they had decided they were ready for this meeting. "So I'll tell him you're too busy?"

"No, no, send him up after dinner tonight. I'm fond of cherry sours, you know."

* * *

Snape had no intention of "sending" Hadrian to a meeting with the Headmaster. He accompanied the boy, squeezing his shoulder as they rode up the spiral staircase.

"Enter," Dumbledore said. "Severus, thank you for bringing Harry. You may leave." Snape had expected this, and coached Hadrian carefully. They had both agreed that fighting Dumbledore on the Harry/Hadrian/Mr Potter issue was pointless by now. The Headmaster was going to be inappropriately familiar, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him. (It had made Hadrian feel a little less singled out when he learned from Severus that he did the same thing to all the staff members, as well as members of the Wizengamot.)

Hadrian turned to Snape, "Please stay. This requires a witness." The boy took a sheet of paper. "I understand you are my Magical Guardian, Sir. I know for muggleborns it's most commonly their Head of House, so at first I was going to ask to have Professor Snape as my Guardian instead-"

"My dear boy, there are reasons why-"

"But then I'm not exactly a muggleborn am I?" Hadrian continued, over Dumbledore's interruption.

"No, no, you are not," Dumbledore said happily.

"I have magical relatives, so on the whole, I would prefer my guardianship to be with one of them, Sir. I understand my closest relatives are Andromeda Tonks and Narcissa Malfoy. I would be happy with either of them," Hadrian said. 

Dumbledore was silenced. Snape felt like cheering. This part of their carefully rehearsed conversation had been a bluff. Hadrian had only met the Malfoys once, and he had no idea how they felt about guardianship.

"My boy, the Malfoys... you must be aware that Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater-"

"I understand he was _cleared_ of being a Death Eater, Sir," Hadrian said. "He was under the Imperius curse! You were Chief Warlock at the time he was cleared, weren't you?" Hadrian's eyes were utterly guileless. 

"It isn't so simple as that. He holds a lot of sway, and even as Chief Warlock, I was unable to see justice done properly in his case. I'm afraid your friend Draco's father actually was guilty," Dumbledore said. "It would be highly irresponsible for me to sign over guardianship to such a family."

"The Tonks then, Sir," Hadrian said, looking down and wringing his hands. "They weren't Death Eaters. I know they weren't. And I met them over Christmas, and I'm already friends with Dora, and it was so great to finally know I had family who actually... care about me and w-want me." Severus had rehearsed this line with Hadrian several times, and this wasn't a mask. The boy lost his composure and stuttered and hesitated every time he spoke about having loving relatives.

Damn Petunia Evans. Damn Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked alarmed. "Harry, my boy, I'm sure your Aunt Petunia loves you very much."

Hadrian looked up, his green eyes glaring. The Lily Evans glare. "Are you, Headmaster? What makes you sure?"

"Why, because she took you into her home. Because you're her sister's child."

"Professor Snape, would you get the Pensieve out of that cabinet?" Hadrian asked. Dumbledore would ask later how Hadrian knew what a Pensieve even was, how he knew that the Headmaster had one, and Snape could tell him honestly that Hadrian had learned this from the portrait of Thirza Black, a former Headmistress of Hogwarts who had been spending a lot of time in the Study Room teaching Latin to interested students, including Hadrian. If she was also interested in helping out a descendant of hers, Severus was sure Albus had it coming.

At the same time, he regretted that Hadrian had to go through with this. He had hoped that the bluff of the Malfoys would have been enough. Though... it had never been a very strong hope.

Snape set the bowl on the desk, and Hadrian put his wand to his temple. He had practised this quite a bit, and he was sure he had gotten the memory right. He dropped it into the Pensieve. "Headmaster, Professor? Shall we?" he said.

* * *

The two men and the boy landed in a cupboard under the stairs. There was no room for them all, so the memory made room by having them standing inside the wall, looking in. They could see a younger, much smaller Hadrian curled up on a thin crib mattress, under a blanket that seemed to be little more than a worn flannel sheet.

Snape caught his breath. He had seen the memory. Hadrian had allowed him to view it via Legilimency, to help him prepare it for extraction. But it always seemed so much more vivid experiencing a memory in a Pensieve. How much more real to the boy by his side? 

He kept one hand on Hadrian's shoulder. 

"Up! Get up, boy! Now!" a shrill voice called. The memory boy jerked awake, and pulled on the light as Petunia Dursley opened up. "Get up and get dressed! You have to make breakfast and then make a cake!"

Little Harry's face suddenly was filled with hope and joy and longing, and he quickly pulled on clothing that was worn out and many sizes too big for him. He put on a belt that had many extra holes punched in it to hold up his jeans, and they were rolled up at the bottom. Petunia hadn't been able to force him to wear Dudley's old shoes - there was no way to make them fit - but she had found shoes from a charity shop that were no better quality than his clothing. 

"This is my 7th birthday," Hadrian said in a monotone. "It was the last time I actually believed."

"Believed what, Harry?" the Headmaster said. 

"That they might ever care."

It was hard to decide what was the most disturbing thing about little Harry in the kitchen of number 4 Privet Drive. It wasn't that Petunia was liberal with swats from her wooden spoon, or that little Harry took them without complaint. That was bad enough. Then there were the insults all three of the Dursleys spat out at the child who was preparing their breakfast. Freak was the most common one. Then seeing a 7 year old child so proficient in cooking, standing on a step stool to cook eggs and sausage, while minding the toaster, and setting the table - you would be hard pressed to see many 17 year olds able to do all of that without hesitating. Petunia had to get the plates out of the upper cabinets for him, but other than that, little Harry did it all. 

And after all that, he wasn't seated at the table. He wasn't even allowed to eat what he had cooked. He was given the most burnt piece of toast, and allowed to eat it after the washing up was done - also by little Harry, using his step stool again. It wasn't as if there wasn't plenty of food. All of the cooked food was eaten, but there were uncooked sausages put back in the fridge. Harry could have made enough for himself. If he were allowed to.

Harry finished cleaning up from breakfast, and then he got out flour and sugar and eggs and butter and a mixing bowl and a cookbook and began to make a cake. Another skill few 7 year olds would have possessed.

The memory skipped ahead to later in the day, when the cake was cooled and iced. Then Petunia came in and wrote on the top in pink icing "Happy Divorce!"

Little Harry's face fell. Severus wanted to gather him up in his arms. He could see the boy trying to display a mask of indifference and failing miserably. 

"Come along, boy, we need to take this to Mary Polkiss. It'll be just the thing to cheer her up," Petunia said, as she packaged up the cake. Little Harry carried the cake, walking behind her, as they went out into the neighbourhood and onto Wisteria Walk. The memory froze there, with little Harry trying to look stoic as he prepared to give away what he thought had been his birthday cake.

"Mrs Polkiss's husband left her for another woman. Aunt Petunia was being spiteful to both of us with this cake," Hadrian said.

"Surely your Aunt just forgot it was your birthday," Dumbledore suggested.

" _Forgot_." Hadrian said slowly. "Aunt Petunia has many flaws, but none of them is a poor memory. She'd have to have an extremely poor memory to forget my birthday every year. I suppose she also _forgot_ to include any presents for me at Christmas. And she _forgot_ to allow me a place at the table, or a proper bedroom in a 4 bedroom house."

"I'll speak to-" Dumbledore said.

"Besides, she didn't forget. Later on this day, I got a gift from her. An educational pamphlet about seatbelt use. It probably came through the letter box, but she put it in an envelope with my name on it and say 'Happy Birthday'. That was it. No cake. She could have easily had me make a second cake.

"Harry, my boy-"

"We're done here," Hadrian said. He turned to Professor Snape, who pulled them out of the memory.

Hadrian took a few moments after coming out of the memory to gather his composure. Finally, he took his handkerchief out and wiped his eyes furiously, then turned back to Dumbledore. "I wanted you to see what it was like in the _loving_  home you believe I grew up in. That was not the worst day of my life. There are memories of being locked in that cupboard for days, having to pee in a bottle, starving, a lovely game called 'Harry Hunting' invented by my cousin, being told that I'm a freak, told I'm a burden, told that my parents were worthless drunks who didn't want me," Hadrian stopped and caught his breath. "No one _ever_ told me that they cared about me, or showed me care in any way." 

Bright green eyes stared at Dumbledore. Lily's wrathful eyes. "I don't want to go public with how I was treated. I don't want to be the Poor-Abused-Boy-Who-Lived and see it splashed all over the Daily Prophet just how little I was given to eat. I don't to report my Aunt and Uncle to the DMLE. I don't want to testify that Albus Dumbledore left me on a doorstep and never checked on me for ten years. I can only imagine the media frenzy that would result from that."

"Indeed," Dumbledore said. "You are quite right."

"I don't want to do any of that," Hadrian said. "But if you don't sign my guardianship transfer, I will."

* * *

When Snape returned to his own office with Hadrian, he cast privacy spells quickly, and then said, "You're clear."

It did not surprise him at all that Hadrian broke down in tears at that moment. Severus rubbed circles in the boy's back, trying to comfort him.  _Lily, what should I do?_

"A week!" Hadrian finally burst out. "Should I have given him a week?"

"You did brilliantly, Hadrian," Severus said. "We'll go back in a week, and hopefully you'll get the signature."

"And if he still doesn't sign?" Hadrian said.

"Then he reaps the whirlwind," Severus said.  _And when it happens, I'll shelter you from the storm. I swear it, Lily._

"I'll have this hanging over my head through exams," Hadrian said. 

"I have it on good evidence that you and your friends are exceptionally well prepared for exams," Severus said.

Hadrian smiled faintly. "If I need a Calming Draught over the next week, how often can I take them?"

Severus fetched the vials. "No more than once a day, given the other potions you are on. Do you need Dreamless Sleep as well?"

"Isn't it addictive?" Hadrian asked.

"It is. I wouldn't allow you to take it enough to risk that," Severus said. "The rule of threes. Once every three days, no more than three vials, before taking at least three weeks off. However, being a controlled substance, I am only allowed to give out one vial at a time. You can have the next one when you return the empty to me. I do trust  _you_ to use it responsibly, but there are student addicts in the castle who would steal it from you if it became known you carried any."

"I understand," Hadrian said. He collected the potions and settled them down inside his satchel, where the enchantments kept the bottles from breaking as well as any tell-tale clinking. "Thank you for this. And for today. Everything." He made a move that looked like it wanted to be a hug, then settled into reaching out and taking one of Severus's hands in both of his small ones. "Thank you, Professor."

"You are very welcome, Hadrian."

Severus watched him go and took out his picture of Lily.  _He shouldn't have to fight so hard, on his own, just to have a home and a family. I'm so sorry everyone has failed him, Lily. I won't let him go back there. I won't._

_If I have to, I'll take him and run._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon!Harry: Do I have to stay at the Dursleys?  
> canon!Dumbledore: Yes.  
> canon!Harry: Okay...  
> Author: WTF? Are you a Gryffindor or not? Why don't you ever fight him on this?!  
> Author: Who is Dumbledore to make your family decisions? He's not the boss of you!


	15. The Trapdoor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three Gryffindors go through the trap-door.

Exams passed in a haze to Hadrian. He let Hermione's frantic revising and Neville's solid silence support him through his week of suspense. They were the only two, besides Professor Snape and the Tonks family, who knew about his meeting with Dumbledore. It didn't help that he was having constant stabbing pains in his scar. Hermione tentatively suggested he might have migraines - she had an aunt and a cousin who both had them - and the pain sounded similar. Hadrian was pretty sure, after his encounter in the Forest, that it was Voldemort. But he promised Hermione that if it was still bothering him after exams, he'd see Madam Pomphrey.

After the last exam, he and Professor Snape went to Dumbledore's office only to find that he'd left Hogwarts.

"When will he be back?" Snape asked the gargoyle.

"Didn't say," the gargoyle said grumpily, and turned back to stone.

"Hadrian?" Snape asked.

Hadrian took a deep breath. "I'll be fine. I think my friends are outside. I'll just go..."

* * *

He found most of the members of the study group out in the grass by the lake. He flopped down and said, "Dumbledore's left the castle!"

George perked up, "What?"

"But he can't!" Fred said.

"He did. The gargoyle doesn't know how long he's gone," Hadrian said. He had no idea why the twins cared about Dumbledore's absence, and didn't much care. His head was killing him.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon," Neville said. 

Hermione put an arm around him. "I'm sorry. Do you need another Calming Draught?" 

"Probably shouldn't," Hadrian said. 

The twins had scurried off and were talking in hushed voices to Alicia. Millicent took their place. "So, how do you think you did, Hermione?"

Neville groaned, and the two girls began a long and detailed discussion about every question on every exam until Hadrian clutched his head.

"Come along," Millicent said. "Infirmary. Now."

"I hate the infirmary!" Hadrian complained.

"You promised," Hermione said. "Spent the time on the way up remembering what potions you've taken this week."

* * *

The Weasley twins were a lot smarter, and about ten times more devious, than anyone suspected. Having worked out that the Philosopher's Stone was hidden in the third floor corridor, and having seen the thing in the forest that the centaurs hinted was You-Know-Who, they should have known better to face it head on.

However, they were also Gryffindor teenage boys. So their first thought was to charge in directly.

* * *

"We've got to get Buckbeak out of here. You-Know-Who won't bow. He'll just kill him," George said.

"Alicia, he likes you best. You'll have to take him out while we go through the trapdoor," Fred said.

"No way. I'll lead him to the balcony, but you two wait for me. We're doing this together," Alicia insisted. 

She bowed to Buckbeak, and when he bowed back, she loosened his rope, and led him out, down the corridor, towards a pair of french doors leading onto a balcony. "You can see the Forest from here, right? Ready to go?" Buckbeak nuzzled her, trying to encourage her to come with him, but she just patted his flank. "No, you go ahead. I'll visit you later, okay? Next week? And I'm sure you have hippogriff friends you'd like to see again." Finally, Buckbeak backed up enough to get a running start, and then step onto the stone railing, and then into the air. 

Alicia returned to the trapdoor, expecting to find her twins having already gone through the trapdoor. And of course they had. "Well?" she called down.

"Devil's Snare," one of them called back. She could tell them apart by sight, but not by voice. "It's safe. Go ahead and jump."

* * *

They escaped the Devil's Snare easily - all of them did well in Herbology - and then went to the next room that seemed to be a Quidditch test.

"You know, this would work a lot better if the brooms weren't here," Alicia said, as they mounted up.

"Or the keys," Fred said.

"Or if the correct key was in Dumbledore's office," George said. "And we're chasing decoys.

"Oh Godric... we're chasing decoys!" Alicia said.

But then Fred saw the key that matched the lock, and the three of them managed to catch it. And it worked.

George kept hold of the key, and locked the door behind them. 

* * *

The chess game looked daunting, until Fred cast  _Bombarda_ on the other side's king.

"What? I hate chess," he said.

* * *

Then there was a troll. 

A troll.

"Where are Millie and Myrtle when we need them?" Fred asked.

George pulled a handfull of dumgbombs out of his bag. "Hey there. Want some of these?" he said, waving them in the air, to spread the smell. Then he flung them back through the door they came to stink up the chess room. The troll grunted and stomped past them to follow the stench.

"How did you know that would work?" Alicia asked.

"Please, Alicia. I know  _everything_ about dungbombs!" George said haughtily.

* * *

Alicia read the logic puzzle, and then set it down. "Wait. Let me try something. _Flammare Frigis."_ Then she stuck her elbow in the fire. "Okay. The potion must be a Flame Freezing potion."

"Why can't we just drink the potion?"

"Because there's not enough for three. It's that tiny bottle," she pointed. "I learned the charm when I heard what muggles do to witches."

"They don't do it anymore," Fred said.

"What if they start again?" Alicia said. "Muggles are crazy! Now be quiet. I'm going to cast this on each of us, then we're going into the next room. It must be Dumbledore's test. And that's where we'll be able to set our ambush You-Know-Who."

"Unless he's got there first..." George said.

"Which ones are wine?" Fred asked.

"Oh, good point," Alicia said. "These two." Fred and George eagerly took one each and tucked them in their bags. 

* * *

No one was waiting in the last room. All that was there was a mirror.

Alicia looked at it first, and the Alicia in the mirror dropped something in her pocket.

"What? NO! Take it back!!" Alicia said, trying to push the Stone back at the mirror. But Mirror!Alicia wasn't listening. "Oh you stupid mirror. Stupid Headmaster. How are we supposed to keep this safe now?"

"You got it?" George said.

"I hate to say this, but we should just... go. If we have the Stone, there's no point in staying here and waiting for You-Know-Who," Fred said.

Alicia and George both stared at Fred as if he'd turned into a troll. 

"Er, Fred, are you feeling alright?" Alicia asked.

"That sounded almost sensible," George said.

"Come on, just cast the Flame Freeze spell again, and let's get going," Fred said.

* * *

"Oh no... the dungbombs..."

"The chess game..." 

"The troll..."

The king had regenerated, so the chess game was standing ready to be played again. The troll was stomping around the larger room. And the air was noxious. The three of them were standing inside the troll's former room and peering out at the danger.

"Oh the count of three, I'll throw more dungbombs, Fred will blast the other king, and we'll all take a deep breath and run." George said. "I've got the key still, so I'll unlock the door, and we'll rush through and slam it behind us."

* * *

Just as George was unlocking the opposite door, it blasted open, knocking the three of them across the room. Professor Quirrell stepped in. When he saw the three teens lying dazed on the floor, he smiled.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dumbledore: So, I need each of you to protect the Philosopher's Stone with a cunning test. Ideas! Go!  
> Hagrid: I can bring in an Acromantula from the Forest.  
> Sprout: A Venomous Tentacula.  
> Flitwick: A room full of flying keys, and each key sets off a different charm as it's touched - Arresto Momentum, Tickling Hex, Expelliarmus, Fire-making - of course the correct key has been flung into the lake with an anti-summoning charm on it.  
> McGonagall: A living chess set, but each of the opponent chess pieces can move like a queen.  
> Quirrell: A family of trolls. They're more aggressive when defending their young.  
> Snape: A potions test, disguised as a logic test. All of the potions contain poison.  
> Dumbledore: ...  
> Dumbledore: *stamps feet*  
> Dumbledore: You all just do not have the right idea at all!


	16. Gryffindors Being Gryffindors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quirrell faces three Gryffindors.

_Just as George was unlocking the opposite door, it blasted open, knocking the three of them across the room. Professor Quirrell stepped in. When he saw the three teens lying dazed on the floor, he smiled._

Quirrell cast a Bubble-Head charm on himself - someone had let off a rather large number of dung-bombs in the chess room - and entered the room. The teenagers scrambled away as he tried to cast on them. " _Incarcerous_!" It caught one of the chess pieces. 

"You!" Twin One said. 

"Me," Quirrell said. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting Potter here. I suppose he was too cowardly to face me again, after the Forest. _Stupefy_." The twin he was aiming at dodged perfectly. He'd apparently taught them too well this year.

"Hadrian's just a kid!" Twin Two said. "You stay away from him!"

"You three are children too. _Pesky_ children interfering in things that shouldn't concern you." The troll moved his way, so he handled it with a lazy, " _Imperio_."

"You better let us go... McGonagall knows we're here!" the witch said.

She was coughing through her bluff, as the teenagers had no protection from the dungbombs.

"She doesn't know you're here, or she would have stopped you," Quirrell said. He guided the troll to herd one of the twins towards him.

"She did try to stop us, but we gave her the slip - and she went to get Snape!" Twin One blurted out. Clear invention.

Quirrell smirked. "Ah yes. Snape has been quite a bother. He stopped me from killing Potter with a bludger."

"That was you!" the witch said. "Then you tried to kill Snape in revenge!"

"I did. Of course I didn't try very hard. He might yet have his uses," Quirrell said.

"Please, Professor Quirrell, you don't want to do this! I know you used to be friends with our Dad," Twin One said, as the troll knocked him to his knees at Quirrell's feet.

"You're beginning to bore me," Quirrell said. "Let's make this quick. Where is the Stone?"

"Er... what Stone?" Twin Two said.

" _Crucio."_ Quirrell watched Twin One scream on the ground and wet himself as he spasmed in pain.. "Wrong answer."

Twin Two begged him to stop. The witch yelled that he wouldn't get away with it. It was all so very tiresome.

He lifted the curse. "Does anyone care to talk?"

"You can't give the Stone to You-Know-Who, Professor!" Twin Two shouted through his tears. "There will be another war!"

"I don't have to stop at pain, you know. I could always kill your brother. Your mother has plenty of spares, after all.  _Crucio._ " Twin One screamed and screamed, and the troll lifted its club.

"STOP!" the other twin screamed. "Don't hurt him! I'll tell you! Just stop hurting him!"

Quirrell ended the curse. The troll waved its club menacingly. "Tell me now. Or he dies."

Twin Two looked at the witch, who looked back at him, and nodded. All three of the teens had tears and snot streaming down their faces, even though only one of them had been tortured. It was proof that his master was right - that love made you weak. 

Twin Two pointed at the witch. "S-she h-has it," he stammered.

All of Quirrell's attention focused on the witch. "Give it to me."

She stepped towards him, until she was within reach of him. "It's in my - erm - uh - my - er - bra..." Her face turned bright red.

"What is that to me? Get it, girl," Quirrell demanded.

The witch unbuttoned the first two buttons of her robe, then reached inside, groping in her bosom. Quirrell could feel his master's distaste for the very concept of sexuality, and Quirrell himself was rather repulsed by the underage aspect. He could torture a thirteen year old, but ogle one? Utterly nauseating!

She pulled her hand out of her robe, and thrust it in his face... and that was the last he knew.

* * *

Lord Voldemort felt his host dying and fled Quirrell's body at once. He had to find a new host. He considered one of the three children, but no. They would be examined too closely after this. He needed someone else. A voluntary host would be best, but he was unlikely to find such at Hogwarts. He would need to use a forcible possession and a slow corruption and conversion to his cause. 

So many minds to choose from. So many possibilities... 

He made his choice and slipped in, eager to get started.

* * *

Fred Weasley came tearing out of the forbidden third floor corridor on a broomstick, nearly riding down Filch, and then rather than fleeing, as was normal, he put Filch on the broom with him and made Filch lead him to the nearest Professor. 

Professor Sprout listened to the nearly hysterical child, telling him the story about how Alicia had poured the deadly poison from Snape's test into a spray bottle, and sprayed Professor Quirrell in the face rather than give him the Philosopher's Stone, only to get caught in the mist and die alongside the evil Professor.

"I wouldn't worry, lad," Sprout said, after examining Alicia and Quirrell, and sending a patronus for Madam Pomphrey. "Professor Snape didn't really put poison in his bottles. He said he was sure he'd have a dozen Gryffindor deaths on his head before the year was out if he did. It's Draught of Living Death, I daresay, or somesuch. He'll soon have them both put right, though if Quirinius was really thieving and casting Unforgiveables, I imagine it'll be straight to Azkaban with him."

Fred sank on the floor next to George. "Alicia's alive?"

"Quite alive," Sprout said. She then proceeded to deduct one hundred points each for going into the forbidden corridor, an extra one hundred from Alicia for unsafe potions practices, and another hundred from Fred for flying a broom in the corridors. Gryffindor would wake up in the morning to find themselves in negative points.

Fred and George did not care. They had protected the Philosopher's Stone, and most importantly, Alicia was alive.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Voldemort: Get the Stone off the kid!  
> Quirrell: I can't! I can't touch him!  
> Voldemort: If only you had some sort of way to affect people from a distance... perhaps by magic...  
> Quirrell: *burns to death*  
> ...  
> Voldemort: Now that this host is dead, I'm off to Albania.  
> Author: Er... your followers are in Britain.  
> Voldemort: I know.  
> Author: Your horcruxes are in Britain.  
> Voldemort: I know.  
> Author: All the people you want to kill are in Britain.  
> Voldemort: I know.  
> Author: Okay, I give up. What's in Albania for you?  
> Voldemort: Rats and snakes.  
> Author: You are a very strange wizard.


	17. Hadrian is okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts lets out for the summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Author is hiding under Fidelius.... 😰 )

"Draco, do you think Hadrian is okay?" Theo asked. It was the afternoon before the Leaving Feast, and he was supposed to be packing for the trip on the Hogwarts Express the next day. But the Slytherin boys couldn't help but notice that Hadrian had been missing most of the day.

"He was here earlier," Draco said. "And his trunk is still here. He... he said he would understand if I didn't owl him this summer. I said of _course_ I would owl him this summer, and he just smiled a little, and said that he remembers everyone in Slytherin that he still owes favours to. I mean, he was almost talking like he was leaving Hogwarts, but that can't be happening... Could it?"

"We'd have to ask Neville or Hermione. They would know," Gregory said with finality. 

"Draco, stop dithering about your robes. It's okay if they get wrinkled. Grooming charms exist," Blaise said. 

"That doesn't mean I should mistreat them!" Draco exclaimed. 

* * *

"Midzie?" Hadrian said. He was standing in an abandoned classroom.

The Slytherin house-elf popped in front of him. "Yes yes, Master Hadrian Potter? We is all getting ready for the feast!" he said excitedly.

"Sorry, I just... can I give you some things to keep safe for me? Until next year? And can you make sure the tie in here stays green for always?"

"Yes, yes, Midzie can do that! Midzie knows lots of safe hiding places where nosy teachers and headmasters cannot find!" Midzie announced proudly.

Hadrian handed over the parcel, which was just a few of his most cherished belongings, including his invisibility cloak/pillowcase. "And, um, I don't suppose I need food this summer. I should be fine. But can I call if I do?"

"Yes yes, do that!" Midzie said, nodding vigorously.

* * *

Hadrian wandered down to the lake and called Hedwig. He _wanted_ to talk to Professor Snape, but ever since the Gryffindors had faced Quirrell in the third floor corridor, Snape had been busy brewing curatives for the Draught of Living Death and Cruciatus Nerve Tonic. Hadrian couldn't begrudge that necessity.

"Well, yeah I can," he said softly into his owl's feather's. "I had gotten used to having Professor Snape whenever I needed a grown-up. I thought that must be what it was like to have a parent. But he wasn't there for me.... I guess it will be okay. It's just for this summer.... right? I am going to be okay..."

* * *

"There you are!" Dora shouted, her hair turning from violet to pink as she ran across the grass to him, accompanied by Neville and Hermione. "Hadrian, we've been looking all over for you! You're coming home with me tomorrow, right?"

Hadrian winced. This was the worst part. "I'm not, Dora. I'm sorry."  _I am okay._

Hermione gasped. "You aren't going back to the muggles?!"

"No. No. I won't be going back there. I have a safe place for this summer. It just won't be the Tonks' like I'd hoped," Hadrian said.

"Why not?" Neville asked. "How could Dumbledore object to _them_?"

" _Professor_ Dumbledore," Hermione said.

"I'll use his right name when he uses Hadrian's," Neville said darkly.

Dora chortled. "Now now, my boy, you don't deserve full respect until you can grow a beard." And as she spoke, she mimicked Dumbledore's face and beard, which looked hilarious on her 17 year old female body. The fact that her voice mimicry was almost perfect made it even better. "And the longer the beard, the more respect, which means the more names and the more jobs. When my beard reaches my toes, I'll hold down every job in Wix Britain!"

"Hadrian! Is it true? Is it?!" Parvati and Pansy, now fast friends, ran up to the group, only to both scream when they saw the Dumble-Dora hybrid. 

"What in the name of... Salazar's scrotum, Dora, I nearly wet myself!" Pansy said.

"That is so hilarious! Do it on the train tomorrow!" Parvati said.

Pansy said, "But is it true, Hadrian? You're going to live with the Weasleys now?"

Neville turned on Hadrian. " _What_."

Hadrian sat on the grass. "I haven't told _anyone_ yet! How did you find out?"

Parvati flopped down next to him. " _Ronald_ , of course. He's been complaining to everyone. At least he was until Percy dragged him away. I tried to ask the twins, but Madam Pomphrey wouldn't let me in the Hospital Wing. I guess it wouldn't be so bad, as long as they don't put you in Ronald's room, because everyone says Mrs Weasley's cooking is out of this world but it'll be a very Gryffindor household, and you haven't gotten to spend time in our Common Room to know how loud and boisterous that is."

"I don't have to share a room with Ron. I said I didn't mind sharing rooms, but not with him. And Mrs Weasley said that was fine, and I could stay in Bill's room, since he's already left home. She seemed nice but a bit..."

"Overbearing?" Parvati said. "Smothering?"

"Loud?" Pansy suggested.

"Yeah," Hadrian said.  _I am going to be okay._

"I don't understand why you're staying with them instead of Dora's parents, when they're family," Hermione said.

"Because you're not a Slytherin, Hermione," Neville said, surprising Hadrian.

Hermione looked affronted. "What?"

"You see right and wrong, lawful and unlawful. Slytherins see power. Dumbledore has all the legal power here. The only power Hadrian has is his celebrity, which he hates. So he spends a summer with a family that he might be okay with because it's better than going to the papers." Neville looked up at Hadrian. "Is that it?"

"Pretty much," Hadrian said, never more grateful to Neville's insight. Because it was a much better answer than the truth of what had happened in Dumbledore's office.

"But it's not fair!" Hermione said. "He shouldn't get to control your life!"

Hadrian looked down at his hands. "He doesn't. He really doesn't. I'm still me, right?"  _Right?_

* * *

On the train, Draco had a near meltdown when he heard that Hadrian was going to be staying with the Weasleys. "I can't send an owl to the Weasleys! We have a blood feud with them!" until Hermione suggested they simply send their letters through Neville. 

"And Ottery St Catchpole is a mixed village, so if anyone wants to write Hermione, and they don't know how to use muggle post, they can send it to me, and I can forward it to her," Hadrian said. 

"We live in London," Parvati said. "I know I've seen those red letter boxes. I just don't know about... those little pictures of the Queen? Can we get them at Gringotts?"

"Postage stamps. I can't _believe_ they don't teach Muggle Studies until 3rd year," Hermione said. "I'll send you and Padma a book of stamps."

* * *

At King's Cross, Hadrian watched Dora run and crash into her parents' arms, a new Hogwarts graduate. They hugged her and spun her around, and Hadrian's throat choked with longing. He looked towards Neville, who looked so much more confident than he had the day he had lost Trevor on the train, meeting his Grandmother.

"I hope you'll come and visit, Hadrian," Neville said. 

"I will. And I want to see your parents again too," Hadrian said. Neville hugged him tightly.

"You're the best friend I've ever had," Neville said. "If you have any trouble this summer, any trouble at all..."

"You'll send us an owl, straight away," Lady Longbottom said.

"Thank you, ma'am," Hadrian said.

"Mum! It's him!" Hadrian saw a small red-haired girl who was pointing directly at him. "It's Harry Potter!"

"Harry! There you are!" Hadrian had no difficulty recognising the voice from the Howler earlier in the year as she bellowed through the platform looking for him.

"Mum... he prefers to be called Hadrian," Percy said.

"Love, it's just a nickname," Molly Weasley said. "If I called out full names whenever I needed you children, I'd never get the chickens fed!"

"Not an auspicious beginning," Hermione whispered. "Good luck."

"It'll be fine," Hadrian promised. "I'll see you in September."

The Weasleys and Hadrian made their way out to a Ford Anglia that had been modified with enough space for five trunks and all of the family. Percy and the twins made sure to sit between Ron and Hadrian, and the little girl, named Ginny, sat in the front seat and kept peeking over at him, then going red and hiding again.

 _I am okay. I am going to be okay..._ Hadrian kept telling himself this, even as he felt sick at the letter that he had asked Hedwig to deliver to Professor Snape after everyone was gone.

* * *

> Dear Professor Snape,
> 
> Thank you for all of your help during the best year of my life. I don't know how to properly thank you, ~~but I know this letter is the wrong way.~~
> 
> After talking it over with my guardian, we have both decided that it is best that I should be resorted next year. ~~I promise it isn't because of you.~~ ~~I'm sorry.~~
> 
> ~~I will be at the Weasleys this summer, the Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole.~~
> 
> I am okay.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Hadrian Potter

* * *

  _~ To Be Continued ~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> canon!Harry: I'm totally gonna troll my relatives. They don't know we can't do magic over the summer...  
> Author: But surely Petunia would know, having a magical sister, and being acquainted with Severus.  
> Lily: Ha! Are you kidding? We never told her about that rule! I threatened her with my wand all the time.  
> Severus: Don't forget the potions.  
> Lily: Potions in her shampoo... a classic.  
> Sirius: Really, Severus? You helped Lily prank Petunia? I feel the urge to hug you!  
> Severus: _Don't. You. Dare._


End file.
